Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the commitment from the representative of Dublin City Council to having a meeting. It would be welcome, were the Department of Justice and Equality to make that commitment too, if possible. I understand that if I bring forward a proposal, it will have various sometimes unintended consequences. I am concerned about something Mr. Yeates just said about having to deal with it. I hope that is not to suggest that the people who promote and organise nights, events and the creativity of our city do not take those into account as well. Ms Colville has gone through a whole host of requirements that someone has to go through to organise a night event, taking into account residents' concerns and paying the fee for An Garda Síochána to police the city that night. It must be the first time I have ever seen ring-fenced funding in this regard in Ireland. I hope it was not to suggest that others do not have to deal with those issues too.

I was a bit concerned about what Ms Colville said from the outset to the effect that the arts are not her remit. We hear time and again that Creative Ireland is an whole-of-government initiative. Has Ms Colville or has the Department met Creative Ireland in respect of licensing laws? The Department has a remit over something crucial to the culture of this island. It is important that we acknowledge the Department's impact on the arts.