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

This is the bit where I give a plug to all the local events and theatre groups in my constituency. It is important to do so, however, because 2019 was the last summer and year in which these great events took place. I was lucky enough to attend many of the events which were part of the Fit-Up theatre festival in west Cork then. We saw Mikel Murfi’s one-man show, which was incredible and that blew me away. It was mad because we were able to go to these little villages like Ballydehob and attend one of these incredible drama productions in the community hall. The same goes for other groups. I am thinking of the Kilmeen drama group, which is again based in a small village between Clonakilty and Dunmanway. It regularly put on these unbelievably well-produced and fantastically acted and written shows. For those of us without access to theatres in cities such as Dublin or Cork, these groups provide incredible outlets. We can go ten minutes over the road and experience these incredible shows. It is important that we protect these groups, therefore to ensure such productions can be experienced in the future.

I am not sure who may be best placed to answer these questions, but how have these events been impacted? I refer to those shows produced and based in rural areas. What is the best way for us to ensure these types of shows can happen in the summer of 2022 and that we will be able to attend these events again? I ask this question because some people live for these productions. In addition, and taking the Fit-Up theatre festival as an example, a major part of that festival's funding was provided by the local authority. We are lucky that Cork County Council has a proactive arts department which funds, and in many instances part funds, these events. Must local authorities be better resourced to enable them to co-fund or provide supports in situations where the Arts Council may not be able to do so? I am not sure who may be best placed to address those questions, but all the witnesses should feel free to respond if they can.