Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus roimh an mBille seo. Tá sé tábhachtach go dtabharfar aitheantas don Cheoláras Náisiúnta as ucht an obair iontach atá ar siúl. Tacaím le cuid mhaith dá bhfuil ráite ag mo chomhghleacaithe romhaim. Sinn Féin welcomes this Bill. It provides for the conversion of the National Concert Hall company from a company limited by guarantee into a statutory body to be called the National Concert Hall. The measures outline the functions of the body, the role of the board, general governance issues and the necessary commercial freedoms required.The Bill provides us with an opportunity to acknowledge the importance of the National Concert Hall as a national asset of the people of this State. It will operate as the national venue for the performance, appreciation and enjoyment of musical, creative, artistic and cultural activities, including the promotion of concerts and recitals of artistic, educational and cultural value. We acknowledge the considerable potential the entity holds as a venue to further develop an interest in and appreciation of the arts and generate increased revenue.

Until recently, National Concert Hall funding was sourced primarily from ticket sales, with some 70% of total income coming from the purchase of tickets by members of the public attending performances and events. That is an encouraging signal of the value the public places on the concert hall and of people's appetite for the arts. More than 300,000 visitors experience over 1,000 events annually, as outlined by previous speakers. The Government proposes to secure the future of the concert hall by placing it on a statutory footing similar to that of other national cultural institutions. While it may reasonably be expected that the State will continue to provide key funding to support the National Concert Hall in its delivery of its public service remit, we understand the likelihood is that the institution will continue to be funded mainly from income generated from its own activities, such as ticket sales and its hiring out as a venue.

We need a national cultural and arts strategy that matches the level of interest that exists among the public. We in Sinn Féin urge that the national cultural institutions be better used as a resource by the State. We need a strategy that recognises that a competitive creative industry sector is vital to the prosperity of the State and acknowledges that a creative nation is a productive nation. In times of recession, we should not allow the arts to be viewed as a luxury activity. Unfortunately, when pitted against funding of other sectors in an either-or manner, the arts often take the brunt. We have a long and rich history of support for arts and culture in this country, which has enabled our artistic and cultural communities to prosper. Arts and culture enrich our society and reflect our national identity. They are at the core of our burgeoning creative industry sector, which encompasses music, the performing arts, film, television and radio, advertising and marketing, software development and interactive content, writing, publishing and print media, and architecture, design and visual arts. We must develop a strategy that supports our creative businesses and talent wherever they are located, to enable them to develop and compete globally. The arts should be accessible and available to all sectors of society and should embrace every type of citizen. Schools, old age pensioners, disadvantaged communities and children with disabilities should all have an equal opportunity in accessing the arts. A long-term vision for the development of the arts is necessary in order to make that happen.

Ba mhaith liom a rá chomh maith gur chóir go mbeadh polasaí Gaeilge ag an Stát ionas go dtabharfar tús áite don Ghaeilge sna hionaid cultúrtha ar fad sa tír seo. Bhí díospóireacht faoi ról Amharclann na Mainistreach i dtaobh na ceiste sin le déanaí. Bhain sé leis an easpa drámaí Gaeilge sa chlár atá foilsithe ag an amharclann don bhliain seo chugainn.

I take this opportunity to address some of the wider issues that have led to the current crisis facing the arts. Unfortunately, the value of the arts can often be sidelined, especially in the current economic climate in which so many sectors face cutbacks. The struggle is evident in the fact that it is so hard to earn a living as an artist, and incomes are often supplemented by other means. Many leading artists aged over 50 are not in a position to feel secure about their future. Brilliant minds fall by the wayside all too easily for lack of support. There is little facility to support older people as they progress their skills. Our younger artists, meanwhile, are going elsewhere, while the question arises as to where our mid-career artists might be. What are we doing to capture the young talent that exists in Ireland and to retain and support it? We need to halt the talent brain drain from this State to other shores. Young people in the arts have considerable potential to contribute revenue for the State. We must take steps to halt the mass export of our young talent and find a way to sustain them through long-term models. There are examples of this in other European countries. Artists are our thinkers and activists, but this often is not appreciated or understood. Finding a way to position artists in such a way that we ensure they are valued is critical.

The focus of the current board of the National Concert Hall remains on the proposed transition from company to statutory body while maintaining the highest standards of musical performance for the enjoyment of the public. This process allows the concert hall an opportunity to work in partnership with the Government to maximise the transformation of the hall and site into a world-class centre of musical excellence. Once the process is completed, a new strategy and business plan will be developed, as we have heard. Concerns have been expressed as to why the possibility of making the National Concert Hall a semi-state body with a commercial remit was not considered. There are concerns, too, about the control the Minister will have over the body under the proposed model and the role of departmental officials in deciding the policy that is implemented.

I have concerns regarding section 18(9), which proposes to gag the chief executive officer from making any critical statement. The section states: "In the performance of the duties of chief executive officer under subsection (8), the chief executive officer shall not question or express an opinion on the merits of any policy of the Government or a Minister of the Government or on the merits of the objectives of such a policy." I am concerned about the imposition of such a gagging provision on the CEO of any cultural institution in the State.

I conclude by welcoming the provision in section 23(1), which may be of particular interest to Senators. This subsection puts an end to double-jobbing by persons who are elected to the Seanad or other democratically elected positions whereby they could previously act in two roles at the same time and be paid by the State for both of them.