Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Arkins. I will begin the questions myself. Several groups have come before the committee on this sector. It is an important sector for many reasons, economically, in the provision of work and because of the way in which it allows our country to tell its own story. If we do not do that, there is a danger that we could become a cultural satellite of other, larger countries.

I have been examining this issue in the last six months. There seem to be significant structural problems within the sector regarding how workers are treated. This is the first time this committee has had before it non-actors working in the sector, people working in the clerical and other grades. It is important to facilitate this.

It is also important because the State gives considerable money to the sector, whether through loans or tax breaks. Most sectors in Ireland will say that precarious working conditions tend towards the abuse of the rights of workers. If there is an equal balance between worker and employer, one is likely to get fair treatment of the employee, but where there is a major imbalance, through precarious work, it leads to major difficulties.

I want to ask the witnesses their opinions on some ideas that I have had. I think there should be a need for a member of the craft sectors to have a representative on the Irish Film Board, which is not now the case, and they should be nominated by the Minister so they can help steer future development. The Irish Film Board can initiate an Irish film forum where all stakeholders can participate. I have asked for this to happen and, to be fair, the Irish Film Board has said it would be interested in it. What are the witnesses' views on this?

Bogus self-employment was raised. Views differ on the prevalence of bogus self-employment in the sector. There is a view that there is a need for some level of self-employment to allow flexibility and some people choose it themselves. How prevalent do witnesses think is bogus self-employment in the sector?

Is it a case that 20% of people in sector are forced into bogus self-employment, or is it far more widespread than that? We often hear there is good employment legislation in the State and regulatory bodies such as the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, to oversee it. Obviously, that is difficult to use if one is in a precarious working environment. Are there examples of it being used where it has successfully underlined the concerns that witnesses have, or is it the case that it is nearly impossible to use those sectors? The witnesses might address those four questions, whichever of them would like to choose one of them.