Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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It is fantastic. I say on the record of the Dáil that time will vindicate the investment but we need more venues. It is great at the moment that, although one might not be able to sell tickets, one can at least have outdoor events if there is weather like this. It can be very successful. We live in a wet climate, however, and we need indoor venues. There will never be enough venues for big festivals. Most venues find that they do not have problems getting people to use them if they are well maintained and well run. There are schemes such as the community services programme. I can never understand in this country why everybody who is willing and able and on unemployment assistance is not allowed to do all the things that need to be done in venues, such as working on the door as ushers and so on. Why pay people not to work when people much prefer, for their own human dignity, to be paid to work? We could use many of the schemes to supplement some of the practical work, not the artistic work, that needs to be done. A huge talent base is available.