Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Dorgan and the rest of the team for coming in to address us today. As she said herself, it took a pandemic to get cogs turning in people's heads as to how important the arts industry, events and live entertainment are to us. It certainly exacerbated the situation of artists with regard to low income but, if there is a silver lining to it, it put a national focus on the plight of artists not just now, but before the pandemic, with regard to low incomes. In her contribution, Ms Dorgan said that one of the most important things for us to work on, whether through the Department, the Arts Council or another body, is ensuring that there is an arts and events industry after the pandemic. We need to ensure that. Even from a regional perspective, I am from west Cork and know that the likes of Clonakilty, Skibbereen and even villages like Ballydehob thrive on music and arts-based festivals. Many of these festivals rely on sound engineers and musical groups doing gigs for next to nothing. They rely on the goodwill of the local arts community. That needs to be maintained in post-pandemic Ireland and that can only happen if we ensure the sector's survival.

I had the pleasure of seeing my first live gig in months down in west Cork when we were still at level 2. It was socially distanced and all above board. Hearing live music and harmonies again was absolutely incredible and reaffirmed how important it is. One really realises how much one misses festivals like the Clonakilty International Guitar Festival, my favourite weekend of the year because of the buzz it brings to the region, when it has to go online. Although the organisers made a valiant effort to replicate the festival, it was not the same. I am just reaffirming what Ms Dorgan has already said about the importance of protecting the sector.

My questions and comments relate to the PUP. I accept that it is requested and desired that it be reinstated to the full rate of €350. I genuinely believe the decision to allow people to take on intermittent work and to earn on top of the current payment was made, first and foremost, with the idea of allowing events and live industry workers to take on intermittent work in mind. That is obviously difficult when we are at level 3 but, should we go back to level 2, it will be much more of a possibility. I met with the Taoiseach and members of EPIC in Clonakilty a few months ago and the group's very first suggestion was that workers be allowed keep the full PUP while taking work when it was available. The feedback I have got from local sound engineers in west Cork is that is a very welcome move. What are Ms Dorgan's thoughts on it? I sense she feels it is not quite enough but I genuinely believe the decision was taken with the arts and events industry in mind so I would like to get her feedback as to how it might help the sector survive and get by until after the pandemic.