Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the discussion of the Bill. It has raised an emotive debate. We have heard a number of speakers and views. No one here wants to impede Irish music or Irish produced music. The question is and the crux of the Bill is around the definition.

Obviously, technology has changed music - that is a no-brainer - during the past ten or 15 years in the sense of the way music is consumed. Now, it works across digital platforms. As Deputy Kelly noted, the advent of Spotify, Myspace and such platforms has led to the flattening of music and has eroded the power of record companies. Now, the artists are dealing directly with radio stations and the media.

I studied for a master’s degree in music technology in the University of Limerick in 2008. I discovered one major thing when I came out. There were seven disc jockeys - I was one of them – seven composers and seven electronic engineers on the course. However, there was no real educational push on the commercial side of music. That is something we need to work on to help artists. By their nature, artists focus on their art. It is a question of the commercial side. At the end of the day, artists have to pay bills, earn money, raise children, try to put food on the table and try to make a living out of it. More education is needed to allow them to compete with the broader market. The flattening of the industry has given them a broader market but it has increased the completion as well. It is a chicken and egg situation. It is a question of giving them the wherewithal. Many people in music have diversified into digital marketing. They work in the area because it helps them to deliver their art.

I imagine Deputy Penrose probably came up with the definition in good faith.

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