Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

On Deputy Cathal Crowe's question regarding Shannon Heritage, we are critically aware of the issues facing the heritage sector, as well as the arts and cultural sector. As a Government, we are working with all stakeholders to ensure facilities can reopen safely and to stabilise them financially. As requested by the Deputy, I will raise this matter with my colleagues in government, including the Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, who will have responsibility for heritage. In terms of my new remit, I am also very conscious of it from a tourism perspective.

On the issues raised by Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, as I have previously stated, the Covid-19 crisis has emphasised the importance of our arts and creativity in all of our lives. Along with my Department officials and State bodies I am working with all stakeholders to ensure that the talent and creativity of our performers, writers and music makers is developed to their potential and sustained and enjoyed once again by audiences in our local communities, at national level and globally. The impact of Covid has been deep across the sector. Live performances to audiences will be impacted long-term. This is one of the sectors that was first hit and it will be the last to return. I am very aware of that. On live performances, my Department is engaging with EPIC and the entertainment industry in order to ways to sustain them.

I fully agree we have built a skilled labour force in that sector and we want to protect and continue to work with the sector. As I said, it was the first to go and will be the last to return. I am fully aware that the arts and culture sector is heavily dependent on the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, and the temporary wage subsidy scheme and that an extension of the former has been sought by the National Campaign for the Arts.

As the Deputy may be aware, the programme for Government states that, as part of the July stimulus package, the Government will set out a pathway for the future implementation of the temporary wage subsidy scheme and the future distribution of the PUP based on the principles of fairness and equity. As he rightly noted, these are industries where seasonal workers must be considered. That is on my radar and I seek to address it. The work is under way.

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