Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am not accepting these amendments but I remind Deputies that under the requirements of the legislation that I hope will be passed, I am required to make an assessment regarding the operation of the Covid restrictions support scheme no less frequently than within a three-month period. I will be looking at the operation of this scheme in the early part of next year. From my experience of doing this scheme and others like it, it takes a number of months before one has enough information to be able to form a view regarding the operation of the scheme. I will be happy to engage with the committee and the Dáil about the scheme when we have data on its operation but I would be less than honest if I did not say to the committee that I will not be revising the argument that I have made about the eligibility criteria.

I will work with my colleagues in government to see whether, within the budgetary framework we have, additional supports are needed and whether we can put in place. We have done a great deal to try to support taxi drivers, although I accept that the Deputy thinks it is not enough. The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, Deputy Catherine Martin, has a €5 million fund that will increase to €50 million next year, the purpose of which is to support music, the arts, live entertainment and other sectors like that. She is rolling out that fund as we speak.