Frances Black (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Like previous speakers, I congratulate the Minister on becoming a grandmother. I can guarantee it is the best feeling in the world. I have two grandchildren and I know the Minister has many happy days and joy ahead. I also commend her on the phenomenal work she and her Department have done in the past year. Who would have thought this time last year what was ahead of us? Nobody knew it. I know the Minister has done phenomenal work.

Nonetheless, there are a number of issues I will raise, primarily in respect of the social protection response to musicians and artists, which I am sure the Minister is well aware of, and all who work in the arts industry, whom I continue to speak on behalf of during this crisis. Before I get into that I wish to address a very important matter that others have raised today, which is the fuel allowance. In the recent very severe wave of Covid-19, a huge number of individuals and families, including children, are currently confined to their homes. Previous stay at home periods were in spring or summer but it is now winter and it will probably be getting colder. Many households are struggling with the cost of staying warm as their heating bills have risen significantly. I heard one story about an older woman who, rather than staying at home in her cold house, got up and went on the Luas to town so she could walk around St. Stephen's Green shopping centre. That was just to keep herself warm and so she would not have to sit in a cold house. It is devastating to think about that. I ask the Minister to consider increasing the fuel allowance and announce it as soon as possible so households do not feel forced into making difficult or perhaps dangerous decisions around the rationing of heat. Right now we all know our homes are the best line of defence for public health and it is vital that they are safe and warm for everyone.

I wish to express the grave concerns of hundreds if not thousands of performers such as musicians, comedians, actors and all who work in the arts from behind the scenes to front of house who I have been in continuous contact with since the budget. Many of them are distressed and struggling to meet financial commitments. As I said, I have raised the crisis in the arts sector on a number of occasions previously and have offered my ongoing support to an organisation called the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland, MEAI, which is working voluntarily in order to help struggling colleagues. Workers in this sector have been in lockdown since March 2020 without income. They really want to get back to work but have no opportunities to do it.Today, 1 February, marks 327 days since restrictions were first put in place in the music and entertainment industry. With the exception of sporadic and isolated occasions, this industry has effectively been in lockdown since 12 March 2020. People in the industry have relied on the PUP and payment breaks to get by. Many are facing the realisation that their homes may be at risk. For many, their tools of the trade, equipment, instruments and vans are at risk. Many have been forced to sell items essential to their businesses in order to survive. We have to consider the bigger picture here and understand the threat this crisis poses to the music and arts industry in Ireland. It is one of our most cherished industries. We are known across the globe for our creative talents as musicians, artists and story tellers alike. Their ability to work has been taken away by either guidelines or a lack of clarity over Government guidelines. Even in this level 5 lockdown, wedding bands and private music teachers have been left in doubt over their ability to earn an income and honour private contracts.

We must show the necessary support to our nation's creatives. We are already witnessing a fast depletion of musicians and artists from the workforce. The MEAI carried out a survey which found that 20% of the participants had been forced to move into other areas of employment and 56% felt they will have to change occupation and leave the music industry. This is just not acceptable. Music and art are at the very core of who we are as a country. At a minimum, it is essential that the PUP, on which these workers are so heavily reliant, is continued at its current rate until the reopening of the industry. Musicians and artists have reported difficulty in contacting the Department of Social Protection for help and being told that their concern is for the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. This is where it gets confusing because that Department refers them back to the Department of Social Protection. There is a need for clarity for these workers who are already under enough pressure in these far from ordinary times.

I wish to share some important statistics that illustrate the struggle experienced by musicians and artists today, and reflect the enormity of the crisis in this industry. The MEAI survey notes that 24.1% have experienced a 90% to 99% income loss and that 41.6% have experienced a 100% income loss. These musicians and artists are incredibly self-sufficient, with a total of 95% of these workers being self-employed. With the shifting and changing guidelines on lockdown, and the brief glimmer of hope between the level 5 lockdowns, many keen and conscientious musicians had paid bills to update their websites and had insured their commercial vehicles in the hopes of having their chance to work but these prices are hefty, especially when it is coming from the already stretched pandemic unemployment wage.

The survey also recorded that 22.4% have had no choice but to sell equipment essential to their work in order to get by, and a further 35.8% feel they will have to sell equipment essential to their work due to a lack of support. This is an incredibly unfair position to leave these workers, who want to work, perform and create but simply have no option to. The report also shows that 26% of participants are struggling to repay mortgages and are in fear that their homes could be at risk. A total of 31.6 % are struggling to repay loans, 45.8% are struggling to pay bills and 17.6% are in danger of losing a vehicle essential to their business. Perhaps the most sobering of all statistics is that almost 50% of those who participated in this survey are struggling with their mental health. That is one in two musicians. Artists are struggling mentally and emotionally with the strain of the crisis. Fewer than 10% of the musicians and artists said their mental health was okay, and, shockingly, 25% are currently seeking help via mental health services.

These statistics need to be heard by everyone here today. It is simply not good enough that we have not afforded more supports to the creatives of Ireland. As I said, music is at the foundation of our nation's identity and charm. It is the duty of the Government to afford protections to and honour the artists, musicians and all who work in the arts, from behind the scenes to front of house, who contribute so much to Irish culture and society. Now is the time to do this.