Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

With all due respect, that is an atrocious answer. Traditional circuses are not being funded. They are not getting any money from the Arts Council. I have put a dozen questions in to the Department. The Department has told me to go to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. I have put questions in to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and it told me to go to the Arts Council. The Arts Council said it has no money for the likes of Duffy's Circus. It is an incredible situation that circuses are some of the most successful cultural and performance arts groups in this country. Their reach is incredible. Practically everybody in the country has a chance to access a circus. They wash their own faces financially, typically. They are even recognised by UNESCO for their heritage value. I think there is snobbery at the heart of this with regard to the fact that the Department and the Arts Council have refused point-blank to provide traditional circuses in this country with the funds to get through the pandemic. The Government has prevented them from functioning, taken their income away from them, and not supplied any supports.

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