Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair and the committee for allowing our guests to come today. Cuirim fáilte roimh na finnéithe. I thank them for the letters. Not only are they nimble-footed on the dance floor, but they are also good with the letters. They were heart-wrenching. I read one from a six-year-old on the floor of the Dáil, who said she loves to dance, wants to dance and is happy when she dances. She epitomised the feelings of the daltaí óga ar fud na tíre. The witnesses do a great job. I am glad that they mentioned the international convention that gives us that right, and that they are not one bit envious of other areas but are delighted for them. However, there are clear inconsistencies which they mentioned, and I will not mention them again. I speak for other dance studios. I visited one in Clonmel on Monday, run by Alison Cronin, who teaches modern dance. It is a fabulous studio. It is bigger than this room. It is amazing that one could not have six pupils in that. I must declare that I have a niece, Kathy McGrath, who runs the McGrath School of Irish Dance, in case someone pulls me up on it afterwards. She runs a school which has invested significantly in studios.

If dance studios do not reopen under levels 3 and 4, what impact will that have on many of the schools and jobs? I know the witnesses answered the previous Deputy about the efforts that they have made already under the levels that we have, with appeals for sanitisation, pods, etc. This is important for all children, and not all children are as academically-minded. We can see the value of the dance that the witnesses referred to. If the children can excel in dancing, it is important to them and there must be parity of esteem.

What employment opportunities do the witnesses see in the dance sector, including modern dance, and what impact do they think the lockdown is having on pupils with regard to getting tuition and reaching their potential, as well as getting employment in the sector?