Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Acting Leader may be aware that, at the weekend, the open finals of the RTÉ All Ireland Drama Festival took place in Athlone. The overall winner was Ballyduff Drama Group from County Waterford, directed by Ger Canning. It had a superb production of The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth. I had the privilege of seeing it when it was in Gorey as part of the festival circuit. Dalkey Players were second and Ballycogley Players from County Wexford were third. I am sure Senators will join with me in congratulating the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland for organising this event and all of the drama groups around the country that took part, particularly Ballyduff, on its success. It shows how amateur theatre continues to be very much alive right around the country. The Acting Leader will be aware of how strong it is in Kildare. We in Wexford certainly know how integral a part of our local community it is.

It is critical that, while State support was made available to the amateur drama movement and amateur musicals during Covid, that it would continue. I have raised in this House previously the possibility of the development of an arts capital scheme along the same lines as the sports capital and equipment scheme. This would be on a much bigger scale than the scheme that is currently administered by the Department that has responsibility for the arts. We know that our artistic and cultural infrastructure in all our communities is critical to our well-being, not just for entertainment purposes but for challenging us, making us laugh, and engaging us within our communities. After the GAA, the amateur drama movement has the largest number of members and people involved throughout the country. In congratulating those who have reached the pinnacle of amateur drama this year, I hope we would also look at the State continuing to support it at a local level.