Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire inniu agus roimh an méid a bhí le rá aici mar gheall ar an tacaíocht atá á soláthar aici don earnáil seo.

I spoke at length in the Dáil recently about the impact of Covid-19 on the aviation and travel industry in Cork. There is no doubt that the impact on the arts and culture sector has been just as detrimental and will last longer than that in many of the other sectors. In 2020, the recession in the arts sector will be between 34% and 42%. In terms of GDP, this is projected to cost between €250 million and €300 million. Covid-19 is forecast to put between 1,500 and 1,900 arts jobs at risk. I welcome that total funding for the arts and culture sector will increase from €183 million to €239 million, which is an increase of almost 30% this year. However, this sector is one of the most vulnerable in that it is heavily reliant on public consumption and participation.

I am a music lover. I enjoy attending gigs and concerts in my home county of Cork every year. I attend the Cork Jazz Festival. The festival is one of the most iconic events of its kind on the national cultural calendar. During last year's jazz festival, Cork received a cash injection of approximately €35 million over a four-day period. Cork Jazz Festival is not only a cultural event; it is big business for the hospitality industry in Cork and gives the city a significant boost, with the festival attracting approximately 40,000 visitors to Leeside.

Like so many other events nationwide and worldwide, the jazz festival was cancelled as a result of the pandemic. This year would have been the festival's 43rd year running, which is a testament to its founders and all the stakeholders, such as Cork City Council, Cork Business Association, Fáilte Ireland and Diageo, including Guinness. I am delighted to see that Diageo is fully committed to continuing to support the festival because its importance to the local economy cannot be overestimated. Those within the industry must be praised for reimagining their programming to serve an online audience. The efforts made by many artists to adapt to and serve an online audience must be lauded but online substitutions cannot replace the live experience and they do not get away from the brutal reality facing arts and artists in Ireland. Thankfully, the Government has acknowledged the reality facing the industry and has put additional supports in place.

I welcome the establishment of the new task force for the recovery of the arts and culture sector, which was announced on 10 September. With the budget imminent, I ask the Minister to review and refine existing supports and consider any further measures that may be required. It is vital that the upcoming national economic plan provide a trajectory for the sector and its institutions so they may survive to the greatest extent possible in the years ahead.

Chomh maith leis sin, teastaíonn uaim labhairt ar son na gcoláistí samhraidh agus na mná tí a chuireann seirbhísí dochreidte ar fáil ní hamháin le linn an tsamhraidh ach le linn na scoilbhliana acadúla. In 2020, d'fhulaing an t-earnáil seo de bharr an víris. Chaill an-chuid gnólachtaí a n-ioncam don bhliain agus chaill muintir na Gaeltachta turasóirí agus daltaí scoile de bharr an víris chontúirtigh seo. Tá súil agam go bhfuil an tAire Stáit, Teachta Chambers, agus an tAire, Teachta Catherine Martin, chun athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an earnáil seo agus na céimeanna riachtanacha a thógáil i dtaobh na gcoláistí samhraidh agus na mná tí.

Ag an am céanna, is dóigh liom go gcaithfimid infheistiú ceart a dhéanamh sa teanga féin. Tá ár dteanga agus ár gcultúr níos tábhachtaí inniu ná mar a bhí sé cheana. Is é an t-aon slí inar féidir linn é sin a léiriú ná trí infheistíocht sa bhuiséad an tseachtain seo chugainn.

See this speech in context