Culture Ireland is to become an independent statutory body, it was decided by Government yesterday, making it one of a small number of similar statutory bodies in the area of culture, such as the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board.
The agency for promoting Irish arts abroad was set up in 2005 by Minister for Arts John O'Donoghue as a unit within his department, and incorporating some of the work of the Cultural Relations Committee, which was then wound up.
Yesterday's change in status gives Culture Ireland a separate legal identity and independent responsibility for funding and conforming with best practice in corporate governance and accountability, and is seen by the Department of Arts as "a tangible commitment by Government to advance Irish arts in a global context and . . . is a recognition of the broader benefits the arts can generate for Ireland".
Comparable statutory bodies in non-cultural areas include Fáilte Ireland and the Sports Council, and, internationally, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland.
The deadline for applications for the job of chief executive (salary level of principal officer €80,408-€93,493) at CI was Tuesday last, and interviews are expected shortly. Until now Culture Ireland has been run within the department with a very active board, chaired by Micheál Ó Súilleabháinn.
This week Culture Ireland is sponsoring a US-Ireland Alliance Oscar Wilde Award to Van Morrison at a pre-Oscars party in Los Angeles, and it is also planning events in New York, including Aidan Dooley's one-man show based on the life of Tom Crean at the Irish Repertory Theatre, as well as showcasing contemporary classical music by Irish composers at the Frick Museum. Also this year, in Japan, Druid will perform The Playboy of the Western World and The Chieftains and Altan will go on a combined tour.