Joe O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senators for their questions. The Government fully appreciates that the live performance sector, including pantomimes, is among the hardest hit by these latest restrictions. Indeed, these sectors were the first to close and the last to reopen, only as recently as 22 October. Unfortunately, the epidemiological situation is such that we are not where we expected to be and, as a result, last Friday, the Government had to announce further restrictions on the live performance sector, with capacities limited to 50% of seated capacity as of today, 7 December, and the closure of night clubs.

My colleague, the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, along with the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, met with the live performance stakeholders yesterday morning to discuss the impact of these additional restrictions. The Minister acknowledged that the sector had remained closed for longer, and reopened fully for shorter, than any other part of the economy.

The Government is clear introducing these restrictions, and to do it in the run up to Christmas, the most economically important time of the year for live performance and pantomimes, is deeply difficult and it is a grave disappointment to have arrived at this point. We had hoped not to have to take a backwards step in the lengthy process of reopening all parts of society and the economy. However, the path of the pandemic is not predictably linear and, therefore, we find ourselves imposing restrictions once again for the wider public health benefit.

The night-time arts and live performance sectors are bearing the brunt of these restrictions. This is not because of any misbehaviour within them. Indeed, many who work in the live events sector are health and safety experts, and compliance with guidelines has been very high. These restrictions are being reintroduced because of the need to reduce levels of social contact in the coming weeks as we try to manage the risk of high Covid-19 case numbers, plus the uncertain impacts of the Omicron variant and the return of more typical winter respiratory pressures on our health system.We hope this phase will be short and that we will get safely through Christmas and the year end.

I know this will be of little comfort to those trying to stage live performances in December and January. To this end, last Friday the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, agreed with her colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, an increase of €25 million in the funding for live performances. This will bring the fund for live performance, including pantomime, to €50 million. In addition, the Minister recently announced a scheme specifically to support seasonal musical theatre and pantomime that will provide funding of up to 50% of costs up to a maximum grant of €500,000. She allocated more than €60 million in 2021 for the live entertainment industry and the additional funding will continue those supports. Grants have been provided to musicians, venues, promoters and those involved in the staging of events and pantomimes and this has provided thousands of hours of employment. The Minister and her Department are currently examining the supports that were in place and have been engaging with stakeholders to determine what would work best to support the live entertainment industry going forward. She hopes to make an announcement shortly on what schemes will be made available. All of her support schemes, including the scheme for pantomimes, are currently under review. I know she will be as flexible and responsive as possible in supports for the sector.

In addition, the Government will provide support through an adjusted Covid restrictions support scheme, CRSS, to the sectors, while commercial rates for the sector will not be payable for quarter 1 of 2022. The Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys, is finalising details of a targeted reopening of the pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, scheme for workers temporarily laid off due to the impact of these restrictions. I will bring forward the specific concerns raised by the Senators.