While Minister Humphreys said:

“I would like to sincerely thank all of the Culture Teams in our Local Authorities who have been working so hard in recent months to help us realise some of the key ambitions in the Creative Ireland programme. Through Creative Ireland we want to create an ecosystem of creativity in every county nationwide; we want to see more people not just attending the theatre or going to a cultural event, we want to see them getting involved. In this way, we can help to build happier, healthier communities.

“The power of culture cannot be overestimated; arts and culture can open our minds, enliven our communities and enrich our children’s lives. The development of a Culture Plan is an important commitment in the Action Plan for Rural Development, because we believe that culture should be part of the development of every community, be it rural, urban, or somewhere in between. I look forward to seeing these plans being implemented in the coming months, to see Creative Ireland in action.”