Ms Ciara Lynch:

I will speak on the Comedy Safety Standards experience. We were set up in 2020 on the back of more revelations, so there was the impetus to do more for this. We did all that work ourselves. What helped, and this is something that could be done quickly by legislators, was that we linked up with the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, DRCC. It provided bespoke training for what we needed. It dealt with issues like myths and attitudes we hold in society about sexual violence. It very much dealt with power imbalances and provided real-life case studies that have happened. That training was especially good. As was said earlier, we need to link training with funding to make sure, because we all just need to learn and understand these issues that are systemic. We grew up in a culture in which these things were and are allowed to happen. It is about everybody learning. With the Arts Council already linked with Screen Ireland, if they were linked with the DRCC as well, all three could provide excellent training.

On the protected disclosure matter, I know a new Bill has been introduced but I am not sure if it covers the arts or freelance workers. I heard the Minister, Deputy McGrath, talking about it this morning. These actions are already happening but why are the arts being left out all the time?

The provision of counselling and therapy is another issue. For the likes of Fair Plé, which has received so many disclosures down through the years, the people involved need therapy and the people who have experienced what we have experienced in the arts sector need counselling and therapy as well.