Since February 2011, a total of €29,179 has been spent by my Department in providing entertainment at a small number of events. Details are contained in the table below. The performance of Riverdance during the visit to Ireland by China’s Vice-Premier was part of a cultural programme requested by the Chinese Embassy. The Riverdance show has toured widely in China and has strong cultural resonance.
Entertainment was provided at a number of events relating to Ireland’s Chairmanship-in-Office of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) for 2012. The OSCE is an intergovernmental regional security organisation comprising 56 States from Europe, Central Asia and North America. Ireland assumed the Chairmanship for the first time on 1 January 2012 for one calendar year.
As Chair, Ireland is required to host and contribute to a number of conferences and events throughout the year. As well as providing valuable opportunities to promote tourism and trade, these events offer a chance to showcase Irish music, arts and culture. In this regard, four Irish musicians were invited to perform at a cultural event marking the opening of Ireland’s OSCE Chairmanship, at a total cost of €4,270.00. The ‘Damhsa’ Irish dancing troupe was contracted to perform at an OSCE Charity Ball in March 2011 at a total cost of €4,059.00. Two harpists were invited to perform for participants in two smaller OSCE events hosted in Dublin in February and April of this year at a total cost of €350.00.
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Event
|
Name of Entertainer
|
Cost
|
Date
|
|
Founders Dinner, hosted by the Tánaiste, Dublin Castle
|
Ann Jones
(harpist)
|
€250
|
October 2011
|
|
Global Irish Economic Forum, Dublin Castle
|
Ann Jones
(harpist)
|
€250
|
October 2011
|
|
Cultural event, official opening of Ireland’s OSCE Chairmanship
|
Sharon Carty, Denis O’Sullivan, Aifric Boylan, Ciaran O’Grady
|
€4,270
|
January 2012
|
|
‘5+2’ talks on the Transdniestrian settlement process
|
Emer Kenny
|
€175
|
February 2012
|
|
OSCE Charity Ball
|
Damhsa Limited
|
€4,059
|
March 2012
|
|
OSCE Chairmanship Conference, ‘Shared Future: Building and Sustaining Peace, the Northern Ireland Case Study’
|
Teresa O’Donnell
|
€175
|
April 2012
|
|
Visit of China’s Vice-President Xi Jinping
|
Riverdance (Abhann Productions Ltd)
|
€20,000
|
February 2012
|
