Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 September 2020
348. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht if matters raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in relation to the music and entertainment industry will receive a response; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21198/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the matters raised by the Deputy. On 2 September last, I met with a representative of the organisation that corresponded with the Deputy. The organisation in question is a member of the Events Industry Alliance (EIA).
The EIA is composed of the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland, the Event Production Industry COVID19 working group (EPIC), the Association of Irish Festival Events, the Association of Irish Stage Technicians, the Event Industry Association of Ireland as well as the Event Industry Ireland (EII), Irish Showman’s Guild (ISG), Entertainer’s Ireland Stand Together (EIST) and Irish Inflatables Hirers Federation (IIHF) groupings.
At last week's meeting I heard first hand the concerns of the events industry which includes the commercial live music performance sector and the organisation in correspondence with the Deputy. I am a musician myself and understand the difficulties faced by the sector. I am eager to get our musicians, our performers and all their behind-the-scenes technical support people back to earning a living and doing what they do so well. I also recognise the genuine concerns that there could be a loss of skillsets during the pandemic.
Many of the constituent groupings at the meeting, including the one in correspondence with the Deputy, have been in on-going engagement with the my officials in recent months and it was agreed that this engagement was extremely useful and should continue. This engagement will provide a route for the sector’s input to the Government’s Roadmap for Resilience and Recovery.
I hope to shortly announce details of a pilot live performance event scheme which was provided for in the July stimulus package. This is in addition to supports being provided to musicians by the Arts Council and funding provided by my Department for online content through Culture Ireland's Ireland Performs, the Other Voices Courage programme, the National Concert Hall Livestream series, and the Hot Press Young and Emerging Artists sessions.
I will also establish a dedicated Taskforce for the Arts and Culture Sector shortly which will include representation from the live sector. The Taskforce will in turn feed into the Government's National Economic Plan.
