Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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18. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the status of engagements to date with large event space organisers with a view to allow sporting and cultural events to take place safely. [37397/20]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Government’s Plan for Living with COVID-19 is a risk management strategy designed to allow individuals, families, businesses and services to better understand, anticipate and prepare for the measures Government might introduce to control or reduce the transmission of COVID-19.  Each level of the framework contains a “basket” of measures which are intended, collectively, to contribute to lowering risk of transmission in alignment with the risk level at that time.  

As part of the Plan, Government committed to developing specific guidance for large, purpose-built event facilities including for stadia, auditoriums, conference or event centres.  The Plan provides that the guidance will be developed with the relevant sectors and would take account of size and different conditions for larger events. 

I am acutely aware of the need to support our sectors through these challenging times and have been in regular and sustained contact with a broad range of stakeholders over the past weeks and months. In addition to bilateral engagements with a wide range of stakeholders and agencies under the aegis of the Department, a number of taskforces and consultative fora have been established in relation to the particular difficulties facing these sectors.  Representatives from the National Governing Bodies of Sport, the live entertainment sector and stakeholders involved in large-scale conferences have been involved in these engagements. 

A Working Group with representatives from the FAI, GAA, and IRFU as well as stadium operations and event managers, officials from my Department and Sport Ireland has drafted guidelines on Reopening Sportsgrounds, which are currently the subject of consultation with other relevant Departments.  Fáilte Ireland has prepared guidance in respect of professional conferencing. 

Separately, an umbrella group representing a number of large, purpose-built venues has drafted a high-level guidance document for use by the venues included in its group.  My Department is reviewing these documents in line with our COVID Quality Assurance Process for sectorial guidance and is in contact with the Department of Health and the Department of An Taoiseach in relation to some of these guidance documents. 

A key consideration in the finalisation of any guidance is the need to ensure that the number of people allowed to attend events must be appropriate for the epidemiological situation at the time.