Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I echo a lot of Senator Lombard's comments on access to swimming lessons. The Ceannaire will recall that I previously asked for a debate regarding our coastal communities and, in particular, the question of investment in beaches.

The Oireachtas committee on the arts previously raised the need to invest in musical theatre and theatre more generally throughout the country. After the GAA, amateur drama and musical theatre account for the largest number of individuals involved in any voluntary activity. I hope a debate will be scheduled on our report on investing in community, voluntary and regional arts. The report recommended a number of things, among them the need to invest in a capital arts programme similar to the sports capital programme, the need for musical theatre to be recognised distinctly as an art form by the Arts Council and, equally, that funding channels be made available for the development of amateur theatre and musical theatre in Ireland, specifically by providing supports to the Drama League of Ireland, the Amateur Drama Council of Ireland and the Association of Irish Musical Societies as the representative bodies within that sector. Amateur theatre is going from success to success throughout the country. It is critical the Government responds to that. I hope the Leader will schedules a debate on our report and that the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, who has done a lot for investment in the arts, comes before the House to respond on those issues.