Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Government politicians do not just dine out on their arts; some of them feast on them. Hardly a speech has been made by a Taoiseach or Uachtarán that has not featured lines from Yeats, Heaney or Beckett. In their quiet times away from the camera, it seems some politicians believe such artists should go out and get a real job. This is usually latent but lately it has been blatant. It is as if years of learning, practice, discipline and finally performing as a musician, dancer, comedian or actor is not work. We know it is not only work but is work that keeps the rest of us relatively sane. So many of us have that special song we go to when times are tough, or lines from a story or poem that comfort us and lift our spirits. Our arts exorcise the ghosts in our throat, to borrow from Doireann Ní Ghríofa. However, while some politicians feast on the arts our artists are facing a famine. One would think we could do better for people who are worth €3.5 billion a year to the economy.

I did not realise quite how many outstanding artists we had living in north Kildare until they started contacting me over the last few months for help to keep going. The cancellation of the Forever Young festival in Johnstown in Naas left hundreds of musicians, lighting specialists, organisers, sound engineers and caterers out of a job. The same thing happened across the State. In addition to artists, I have had countless constituents, organisers of dance schools and acting schools, and musicians all raising the sign for help. I have tried to respond to everyone who has contacted me personally because they give so much and right now they are trying to survive on so little. I have been glad to be able to tell them that Sinn Féin is to the fore in seeking the retention of the pandemic unemployment payment and that we have been calling for the reversal of the decision to scrap the temporary wage subsidy scheme and replace it, which would leave those workers, and they are workers, with €50 a week less. That is big money when one is living on the edge. I have just finished a telephone call with Celine Garvey, who manages the Moat Theatre in Naas. As it is a not-for-profit theatre, she cannot avail of grants from the Arts Council. It is such a great amenity for the town. We have had it since 1954 and cannot lose it in 2020.

Sinn Féin was out front battling for the live events and entertainment industry to be attended to by the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response. While I accept that the sector has been heard from to an extent, the vast majority in the industry still face an uncertain future. The supports that have been granted are welcome but fall far short of what is required to ensure the arts come out the other side of this. We must value them in more than words and quotes. They have given us a lot and it is time that we gave something back.

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