Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 December 2020
205. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason the performing arts industry has been forgotten about as Ireland regresses the level 5 public health restrictions; and the reason socially distanced children’s drama dance classes are not allowed return to operate. [41035/20]
View answerThe Government’s medium-term Strategy Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19, sets out Ireland's approach to managing and living with COVID-19, in a range of areas, over a period of 6 – 9 months.
The Plan aims to allow society and businesses to operate as normally as possible, while protecting our key priorities of supporting and maintaining health and social care services, keeping education and childcare services open and protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.
Each of the Plan's five levels consists a “basket” of measures which are intended, collectively, to contribute to lowering the risk of transmission of COVID-19 in alignment with the risk level at that time. The set of measures, individually, do not comprise a list of activities or places which are equally safe, but are “baskets” of measures which are informed by public health understanding of the disease.
The number of people allowed to gather in different scenarios is based on experience and reviews of international practice and the judgment of public health experts. It seeks to balance the risks of different types of gatherings against the desire to allow normal activities to proceed in so far as possible.
Under the present level 3 of the National Framework, live performance can take place, but without a live audience and theatres remain closed to the public. Under the regulations, filming or other recording of performances in a theatre, concert hall, museum or art gallery, without an audience present is permitted for the purposes of broadcasting such performances on the internet, radio or television. Any activity under either of these provisions can proceed while adhering to the Work Safely Protocols as published by Government.
At level 3, indoor drama and dance classes, like all indoor exercise classes, remain suspended. There is, however, provision for individual and one-to-one instruction at this level which applies to sport, exercise and dance. While dance studios are closed at Level 3, they can provide facilities for use in individual dance practice or dance training.
Outdoors, events can be held for social, recreational, exercise, cultural, entertainment or community reasons with a limit of 15 people including event organisers, tutors and instructors. Reasons for such outdoor events include classes, for example exercise, dance or drama classes.
In terms of the performing arts including drama and dance it should be noted that the Arts Council is in the process of preparing guidance on individual dance practice/training which will be available shortly. In the meantime, Sport Ireland has published guidance ( www.sportireland.ie/covid19/individual-and-indoor-training) which may be used for individual dance practice or one-to-one instruction.
Education is considered an essential service and encompasses primary and post-primary schools, and higher and further education where remote learning is not possible. Some drama, music and dance lessons may take place where they are required to comply with the national curriculum for primary and post-primary education. For these classes, schools are required to ensure that infection prevention control measures are in place in line with the School’s COVID-19 response plan and public health advice to limit the risk of spread of infection.
