Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms O'Callaghan very much. That draws the slot to a conclusion. I thank Senator Murphy. We can certainly feel his passion and experience in his contribution.

I also have Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh online. He wants to speak with the witnesses and hear from them today. I am sorry. We thought we had Deputy Ó Snodaigh, but we do not.

The final speaking slot falls to me. I begin by thanking all of our contributors here today. Their passion for what they do and who they represent is palpable. Having listened to the debate and discussion, I acknowledge that many pubs, ballrooms at the back of hotels and nightclubs seemed to come to the end of their era before Covid ever happened. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, recently made a major announcement on the regeneration of towns, villages and city centres around the country through the urban regeneration and development fund. That money is going directly to local authorities. Cavan County Council, for example, has received more than €14 million for the Abbeylands project and Monaghan County Council has received more than €30 million for its Dublin Street project. From what I have heard today and from what I know, the music industry and the night-time economy should be playing a big part in regeneration, opening up the main streets and reimagining and repurposing towns and cities right across the country. Perhaps I am overstating it, but I get a sense from what Mr. Sharpe said today that there is a further opportunity and platform for an input from the night-time economy and businesses in the entertainment sector to make to local authorities in reimagining town cores.

I invite all the organisations - Ms O'Callaghan, Mr. Kitt and Mr. Johnson - to wrap up and sum up everything we have discussed today. I call on the witnesses to focus their ask into three tangible measures that the committee could recommend to the Government in its report to reignite, reimagine and repurpose towns and villages to bring about the reopening of pubs and clubs, many of which have really gone out on a limb in terms of the massive mortgages they have taken out to keep them open. I know from business people that it takes constant reinvestment to do that, to keep young people on the streets and to open up the night-time economy. I seek three tangible measures that we could ask of the Government to ensure the reopening of the country and of towns and cities post Covid. I really want to get to the crux of the matter in terms of the responsibility of local authorities in all of this. I feel there is an element of them and us in the discussion and perhaps that has been the case traditionally. We must have a collective, cohesive response to all of this. From what has been said today, I think there is a real opportunity to do that. What more can we do with the investment that is being made in local authorities?

What are the three asks of each of the organisations in terms of what needs to be brought forward by Government to ensure the most positive reopening of the night-time economy, artists, musicians, pubs and clubs? I invite Mr. Finn to respond first.