Mark Wall (Labour) | Oireachtas source

It is hard to follow those heartfelt words from Senator Black but I will try. I also welcome the Minister to the House. There can be no doubt that one of the industries hit hardest by the Covid pandemic is live music and entertainment. Once again, it is this industry that is being told it must reduce the numbers attending its venues. It is those working in this industry who are listening to the prospect of further restrictions in the venues where they perform.

I recently raised the case of a late-night venue in my hometown of Athy, whose owners reached out because of falling numbers in that venue. They were crying out for support and said that unless there was a reintroduction of previous assistance offered by the Government, they would simply have to close their doors with a loss of jobs. My colleague, Councillor Níall McNelis, has informed me of the Róisín Dubh venue in Galway. I have spoken to its owner, Simon Heaslip, who described the current situation as brutal and simply mental torture. All of his 17 sold-out performances have been cancelled, some of them for the third or fourth time. Operators must ring those who have booked tickets each time, which is three times more work for staff. As we all know, December is the most important month for all the operators of live music venues because January, February and March are traditionally the worst months of the year. Yet, in the case of the Róisín Dubh and many more venues, December is simply a write-off.

I acknowledge the package that was recently announced by the Government. It will make some difference to those venues but, without the doors opening, their December take will be but a small fraction of what was taken in 2019. The landlords of these venues must still be paid their rent and those operating the venues must still pay the mortgages on their homes. Many people I have spoken to, such as Simon Heaslip, acknowledge the Minister's assistance with this brutal situation, as they describe it. They thank her for it, but they want more and I am sure the Minister knows that they are still suffering.

I will also mention the people Senator Black has so eloquently spoken about. Today, I took the opportunity on Second Stage of the Social Welfare Bill to raise the concerns of many performers with the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Humphreys. In acknowledging the reintroduction of the PUP, I asked the Minister to look again at the rates of this payment, especially for those in the live entertainment industry. In December of last year, the Government, through the Department of Social Protection, increased the threshold for self-employed people who can now earn up to €960 over an eight-week period while retaining their PUP entitlement, which was obviously an increase. It was rightly welcomed by many at the time.The Department of Social Protection described this as a new measure that would allow a self-employed person to take an intermittent job or a one-off gig without losing his or her entitlement. The problem now, as we all know, for many in the live music industry, and in particular those who find themselves on the lower rate of the PUP, is that they have no more one-off gigs or intermittent jobs. They have no additional income and they and their families are suffering terribly at this time.

Members have mentioned Mr. Jackie Conboy and the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland. My colleague, Senator Sherlock, continues to raise the plight of those stuck on this payment and has highlighted the many issues I have previously spoken about. I pay tribute to my colleague, Senator Black, on her contribution here tonight, which has been very important. As I am sure the Minister knows from meetings with representatives of the MEAI, many of its members are professional musicians or operate professional supports for the industry. They also own houses and have families, mortgages and other loans. They simply cannot repay them at this time because, as I said, there are no more one-off gigs or employment. I ask the Minister to reach out to the MEAI in the coming days and listen to what it has to say on behalf of its members. Please help these professionals who are calling out for so much help at this time in the run-up to Christmas.

There was also supposed to be a three-week review of the reopening after 22 October. Will the Minister let us know in her reply if it ever took place and what were the findings? I also ask about the protocol and regulations for community and social halls throughout the country. It is clear from conversations with colleagues such as Councillor John Pratt in Waterford that online booking is simply not working for them and the halls are not operating.

I will finish by thanking the Minister once again. I hope we can work towards a basic income for those in the industry so their talents, which we all enjoy and admire, can be feasible to live on.