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Taoiseach launches Creative Ireland

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Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the launch of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017 - 2022 in the National Gallery of Ireland 

Taoiseach Enda Kenny together with Arts Minister Heather Humphreys and Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe today (December 8th) launched Creative Ireland Programme / Clár Éire Ildánach in the National Gallery.


Creative Ireland is the Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016. It is an initiative which runs from 2017 to 2022 and aims to improve access to cultural and creative activity in every county across the country.

Creative Ireland will prioritise children’s access to art, music, drama and coding; enhance the provision of culture and creativity in every community; further develop Ireland as a global hub for film and TV production; empower and support our artists; drive investment in our cultural institutions; and further enhance our global reputation abroad. From 2018, an annual County of Culture will also be held each year.

Key initiatives to be delivered in 2017 include:

  • · The publication of a five year ‘Creative Children’ plan which will enable every child to access tuition in music, drama, art and coding
  • · Each Local Authority will appoint a Culture Team to drive local needs and will publish a Culture Plan for their own county
  • · A new annual cultural day, ‘Cruinniú na Cásca’ to be held nationwide on Easter Monday each year, replicating the very successful Reflecting the Rising event, which was held in Dublin this year 
  • · The Departments of Arts and Social Protection will devise a mechanism to assist self-employed artists who have applied for Jobseekers Allowance. This would be a pilot scheme.
  • · A planned investment programme for Ireland’s cultural and heritage infrastructure, including our national cultural institutions
  • · An industry wide, long term plan to develop Ireland as a global hub for film, TV drama and animation


Speaking at today’s event, Taoiseach Enda Kenny, said:

Creative Ireland is about placing culture at the centre of our lives, for the betterment of our people and for the strengthening of our society. Together we can do extraordinary things: we can make Ireland the first country in the world to guarantee access for every child to tuition and participation in art, music, drama and coding. We can make every local authority a dynamic hub of cultural creativity. We can unlock the huge potential of our people in the creative industries. And we can make an important statement to ourselves and to the world about the interdependency of culture, identity and citizenship.