Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)

Molaim mo chomrádaí an Teachta Aengus Ó Snodaigh as an obair ar fad atá déanta aige ar an mBille seo. Irish culture is much revered around the globe, from our music, our poetry and our plays to our dance. Our culture is synonymous with our identity as Irish people both at home and abroad. Our old rebel songs give us insight into our past, honouring those who came before us, ag troid ar son saoirse na hÉireann. Our poets and playwrights are well renowned, and works by Beckett, Joyce and many others are still performed to much delight to this day across the world. The Feis competition of Irish dancing is as competitive as ever, with young boys and girls competing every year. These are what might be considered the traditional arts that Ireland is well known for globally, what is typically plastered on the walls of Irish bars in Tokyo, Washington, Berlin and Sydney, fud far na cruinne. A hurley stick or a bodhrán with a picture of Pádraig Pearse on the wall of your bar in Barcelona and you are halfway there.

Above all else, however, our internationally recognised oozing talent aside, it is our humour that is most well known among anybody we meet from overseas. It is unique. It is so cute and devilish that we had to give the particular Irish form of comedy its own word: craic. No one does it quite the way we do it, and this craic is invaluable. It is part of the fabric of who we are as a people - storytelling, talking, caint, scéalta a insint. We are born storytellers and entertainers, yet our craic is completely unrecognised by the Government. I know people might not necessarily describe what happens within these walls as much craic at all but it is important we recognise those who are good craic, including the many incredible stand-up comedians who have graced the Moate Theatre in Naas. I was there recently with a few of my friends. We saw Jarlath Regan from Kildare and we had a great night with plenty of laughs.

This Bill pays proper respect to comedy as an art form and recognises that it should stand among its cultural counterparts such as theatre, literature, music, dance and film. Currently, the Arts Council can fund art forms that are not mentioned in the Arts Act but it explicitly prohibits stand-up, sketch and improv, and I really do not know why. This Bill can fix that. This prohibition means that comedians cannot apply for bursaries while their counterparts in theatre acting, for example, can. Festivals funded by the Arts Council may platform comedians but there are no direct supports provided for them.

I ask that this Government not delay this Bill for 18 months but allow it to go to the next Stage as soon as possible.

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