Dept of Arts, Sport & Tourism

The Department was formed in June 2002 and its mission is:

"to contribute to the economic, social and cultural progress of Irish society and the enrichment of its quality of life through promoting sustainable tourism; encouraging excellence in sporting and artistic achievement; facilitating greater access to sport and the arts; and preservation of our cultural inheritance".

The Department is primarily a policy-making Department in the three sectors of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Arts

1. formulation, development and evaluation of policy and structures to promote and foster the practice and appreciation of the creative and interpretative arts and to encourage the development of the Irish film industry;
2. enabling the national cultural institutions, as integral elements of the national culture, to preserve, protect and present for the benefit of present and future generations our moveable heritage and cultural assets.
   Sport

Sports

1. formulation, development and evaluation of sport policy (the implementation of which in the main is a matter for the Irish Sports Council);
2. overseeing major sports projects, including the National Aquatic Centre at Abbotstown; developing proposals for the provision of a national stadium; the administration of the Sports Capital and the Local Authority Swimming Pool Programmes.

Tourism

1. Facilitating the continued development by the tourism industry of an economic and environmentally sustainable and spatially balanced tourism sector, through formulating monitoring and reviewing a range of supporting policies and programmes, particularly within the framework of the National Development Plan and North/South Co-operation.