Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have said that I was deeply distressed and upset to hear about these allegations. I am not in a position, as the Deputy will appreciate, to comment on individual cases but I hear her concerns.

Regarding my own actions, as I mentioned, the details of an initiative are being finalised. My officials have engaged with the Irish Theatre Institute on making an announcement regarding this, and they are dealing with the 72 signatories of the letter to The Irish Times, but as the Deputy will appreciate, it is a very sensitive time. There are many people involved who have suffered and I do not want to say anything that would scupper that. We want to make sure that these issues and allegations do not arise again in any environment and I am doing everything I can to try to address that. I would welcome a meeting with the people who have suffered in this way because I want to hear their concerns and ensure that any measures address the core issues facing this sector and beyond.

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