Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister is very welcome. I concur with the comments of Senator Cassells regarding the fact she has had one of the most challenging Departments in the past 18 months. I thank her for the work she has done. There are still issues outstanding but she has done a serious amount of work across a broad spectrum.

It is important to recognise that the sector has been totally devastated by Covid-19, be it as a result of social distancing, travel restrictions, closures or the 50% capacity restriction. The events sector accounts for 90% of the 5 million tickets sold in Ireland each year and contributes €3.5 billion to the economy. Every €1 spent brings an additional €6 spend in the tourism and hospitality sector.

In summer, the Oireachtas joint committee, of which I am a member, produced a report and made several proposals. It recommended that the Department engage with the stakeholders in respect of the roll-out of the MEBAS and expedite plans to develop new support schemes for artists, with meaningful engagement with representatives of the entertainment sector regarding plans to open. It called for the full rate of PUP to be maintained for workers in the entertainment sector until the industry is fully open and for it to be ensured no workers in the sector are reduced to jobseeker status in the interim period. Unfortunately, not all those proposals were taken on board. At the most recent meeting of the committee, I asked the Minister for a full report on the proposals in hospitality and entertainment to be sent to the committee.

As Senator Keogan stated, figures we got from the MEAI indicate that 70% of workers did not receive any work through the live performance support scheme, LPSS, and 50% only received support through MEBAS. Funding for the Arts Council has been doubled but a significant proportion of that funding went to theatres, venues and organisations. I welcome the fact the funding is being maintained for 2022. I have met several people in my home county who are in that sector. They have been very positive about the supports that have been put in place. Unfortunately, some people in the live entertainment sector have been left behind, as demonstrated by the figures to which I referred. The MEAI proposed a scheme but it was not accepted by the Department. To my understanding, however, the funding for the scheme was not exhausted because it was treated slightly differently. What was the basis for the requirement in respect of business costs, which ruled out many people from being able to apply? Other schemes designed to offer the same type of support did not have that requirement. I sought an update from the Department in recent days but I have not received any figures on the various schemes. I have spoken to several people in the industry, including a young lady who lost all her gigs and will travel to Dubai in the new year to make money to be able to support herself in college.

In the context of the traditional panto, I welcome the reduction to €100,000 but, unfortunately, it will not cover all the local pantos.