Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs continues hearings on sustaining rural communities

The Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs will continue its hearings on sustaining viable rural communities tomorrow, Wednesday, 26 April 2017.

Session A: 2.15 p.m.  (i) Representatives from The Irish South and West Fish Producers Organisation Limited (ii) Representatives from Killybegs Fishermen's Organisation
Session B: 4.30 p.m.  (i) Engagement with Rose McHugh Chair designate of the Crawford Art Gallery

Cathaoirleach of the Committee Peadar Tóibín said: “In the first part of our meeting tomorrow, the Committee on Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will focus on the issues facing fishing and coastal communities.

“We will hear from the Irish South and West Fish Producer's Organisation Ltd which was established in 1995 to represent fishermen in the south and west coast of Ireland. It has membership of primarily whitefish vessels ranging from 12m to 30m.  We will also meet with the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation.

“As we continue to focus on what it takes to sustain a viable rural community, it is important that we look at the unique issues facing our coastal and fishing communities to get their insights on the particular measures they feel are necessary to develop, strengthen and grow their communities.”

“In the second part of our meeting, we will hear from Rose McHugh Chair designate of the Crawford Art Gallery. The Crawford Art Gallery is a National Cultural Institution and regional art museum for Munster, dedicated to the visual arts, both historic and contemporary. The permanent collection comprises over 2500 works, ranging from eighteenth century Irish and European painting and sculpture, through to contemporary video installations. Any community is made up from various elements and this meeting provides us with an opportunity to explore the importance of the arts and cultural activities to local communities and how the arts can be used to enhance rural communities.”

This meeting will start at 2.15pm, tomorrow, Wednesday, 26 April, 2017 in Committee Room 4, Leinster House. Committee proceedings can be viewed live here.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
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