Paul Murphy
Question:456. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she plans to allow the return of live music performances. [30691/21]
View answerTuesday, 15 June 2021
Questions (456)
Written answers
COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease, which spreads when individuals and groups come into close contact with one another, enabling the virus to move from one person to another. In certain settings, such as live performances, higher noise levels due to music, can force people into close proximity or require them to raise their voices or shout to communicate thus increasing the risk of spreading virus to others. Such activities present a higher risk of transmission of COVID-19. Accordingly the existing Government decision remains in place that no live or loud music is permitted. As the Deputy is aware, Government will be reviewing COVID restrictions at the end of the month and again in July and Cabinethas agreed to my request that restrictions on performances at licensed venues, such as restaurants, pubs and hotels, will be reviewed as a priority.
On Friday May 28th the Government agreed pilot events will take place in June and July, depending on the epidemiological situation at the time and subject to the roll out of the vaccination programme.
My Department has worked with the Arts Council and a number of stakeholder engagement structures in place to support the development and delivery of those pilot events. The first event took place in the Iveagh Gardens on the 10th of June in collaboration with the National Concert Hall and further events will take place across the course of the summer.
These events will assist in safely charting a path back to greater levels of activity in line with developments in public health guidance over the coming weeks and months. Pilot events are necessary as a proof of concept for the safe management of events whilst COVID-19 is still circulating in our communities and in order to evaluate and build confidence in the COVID-19 guidance and event management protocols developed by the culture and sports sectors.