Mr. Matt McGranaghan:

The Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland, MEAI, thanks the Joint Committee on Justice for the invitation to make this submission on the general scheme of the sale of alcohol Bill 2022. Many workers in the music and entertainment sector are reliant on licensed premises for employment opportunities, whether that be in bars, restaurants, hotels, theatres or other venues. Music and entertainment, socialising and alcohol have a long and inseparable association. The local pub is often the first introduction to performing in public for many artists, whether it be an unplugged night or a trad session. It could be argued that pubs have been central to the survival of traditional music and sessions as they have been regular homes to weekly sessions for many decades. A traditional music session in a local bar has also been central to the craic ages ceol image portrayed internationally by promoters of our country for tourism purposes.

The music and entertainment industry is intrinsically linked to and affected by the licensing system in Ireland. MEAI welcomes any effort to modernise our antiquated licensing laws and this Bill on the whole does that. MEAI has two main areas of concern which need further clarification and consideration. Chapter 2 of Part 4 of the general scheme deals with cultural venues. MEAI requests further clarification on the terms "cultural amenity" and "function". Licensed premises often provide employment to workers in the music and entertainment sector. Businesses that use music and entertainment often take the good with the bad. MEAI is concerned that the lack of concise definitions could provide increased competition against licensed premises and potentially decrease employment opportunities and diminish the number of available working days and nights for gigs.

MEAI also echoes the concerns of other relevant stakeholders over the deregulation of licensing and the removal of the need for an existing license to be acquired before a new licensed premises is opened or established. This deregulation could lead to increased competition from multinational and international businesses, and could be a threat to local and family businesses in every community.

As I mentioned earlier, many in the music and entertainment sector are reliant on licensed premises for employment. This became evident during the pandemic. What also became evident for many people was that they wanted to change their business models post pandemic to have a better home and family life. Both sectors are still feeling the aftereffects of the pandemic and trying to navigate the cost of energy and business crises that continue. These issues continue to negatively impact both sectors. Many musicians realised that they had an over-dependence on pubs and hotels for gigs pre pandemic. They now gig in other venues, such as nursing homes, community centres and other social environments where alcohol is not a feature, but still gig in pubs and hotels, albeit not on as many nights of the week. It is important that these changes are supported to ensure livelihoods continue.

Recent schemes by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, the night-time economy support scheme and the local live performance support scheme, successfully supported the creation of cultural activities and gigs across the night-time economy and local authority areas throughout 2021 and 2022. Both these schemes were invaluable to workers in the music and entertainment sector in creating and protecting employment and would be valuable ways to support both sectors into the future. However, both these schemes have ceased and no further funding has been allocated to continue them into the future.

Unless clear definitions, terms and conditions are given to the terms we have highlighted, the general scheme of the sale of alcohol Bill 2022 will undermine and negate the Government’s own rural development policy commitment to pubs as community hubs. It is important our archaic licensing laws are modernised, made more efficient and designed to reflect and adapt to modern life. It is also vital that we protect those elements which are crucial to our way of life, our employment, and also our identity as communities and a nation. We believe that properly addressing the issues we have raised will help better protect those elements.