Mr. Cian O'Brien:

I have been having technical problems. The Senator is right that one of the things that is so important for people at the beginning of their careers is how they form themselves. Artists get better by practice and it is essential that people have that experience. What is greatly beneficial is that the Arts Council has put additional resources into things such as bursaries and commissions for artists, which is exactly where they can hone their craft. There is going to be a challenge for people in how they will interact with each other and how they will develop relationships with other artists and collaborators. The pandemic creates that challenge. However, I always think that artists find a way. They are amazing at finding ways to collaborate with other artists. As a result of the increases in funding, one will see people finding ways to collaborate with one another because they will have the resources. Should they be successful in applications they might make, they will have the resources to do that. That might happen online, but the current level 3 still allows artists to work in their studios or workplaces. People are still able to be in spaces together, albeit safely. I share the Senator's concerns, but the benefits that are coming our way will go some way towards addressing some of the concerns.