Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 June 2021
113. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the rationale behind the pilot event held in the Iveagh Gardens, that is, in which patrons tested in advance or subsequently to actually prove or disprove the point of the so-named pilot. [33670/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the recent Government decision to prepare for the safe reopening of live cultural, sporting and entertainment events, my Department has prepared a programme of pilot live events for June and July. This broad programme includes sporting, cultural and live entertainment events, both indoors and outdoors. These pilot events will allow for sports, arts, culture and entertainment organisations to test necessary control and other measures in venues across a range of settings and have been designed to inform the safe reopening of these sectors. They will be subject to ongoing review including with respect to the prevailing public health situation.
As part of the preparations for the events, my Department has worked and continues to work with representative bodies and stakeholders from the culture, sport and live event sectors on the programme of events. The events are being organised with venue operators and promoters who are submitting Event Management Plans to my Department which are reviewed by Health and Safety consultants.
My Department is monitoring test events internationally and is aware of the role that testing can play in supporting activities. Testing is an issue that has a wider context than simply performance events and may be applied where considered appropriate.
I will continue to keep these matters under review as the pilots progress and as public health guidance evolves.
