Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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397. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the reopening of the outdoor and self-contained sectors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22078/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I am fully aware of the impact COVID-19 has on tourism and hospitality nationwide and I also acknowledge that public health restrictions continue to be very challenging for the tourism sector.  The national vaccination programme is critical and provides hope that in 2021 we will see the beginning of the recovery for the sector but this will not happen overnight.  For now, the focus remains on helping businesses and jobs in tourism to survive the pandemic and be ready for recovery.

In line with the plan set out in The Path Ahead and after taking full account of the current status of COVID-19 in the community and the public health advice, the Government has been implementing a limited phased easing of some Level 5 restrictions through the month of April.  The Government is due to make further decisions and announcements this week regarding the position to apply for May and beyond, with a view to facilitating the safe reopening of more services as the public health situation permits. 

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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398. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the reopening of large-scale gatherings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22085/21]

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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399. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the use of digital technology to enable the reopening of large-scale gatherings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22086/21]

James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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400. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the use of rapid antigen testing to enable the reopening of large-scale gatherings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22087/21]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 398 to 400, inclusive, together.

The Government’s COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery 2021 - The Path Ahead plan sets out the Government’s objectives for the full recovery of social life, public services and the economy. The plan committed to the development of sectoral guidance for very large purpose built event facilities, for example: stadia, auditoriums, conference or event centres.

I have recently established a Live Entertainment Working Group in order to facilitate stakeholder consultation and develop COVID-19 Guidelines for the Live Entertainment sector. The Group includes stakeholders from across the live entertainment sector as well and those with appropriate technical knowledge in the planning, management and delivery of events. The Group will produce a high level principles set of guidance that all venue promoters can adopt for their specific purposes. The first meeting of this group was held on the 21 April 2021.

The Arts Council and Fáilte Ireland have also entered into a strategic partnership to develop guidance for the safe presentation of festivals and live events. This document is currently at the consultation stage and is due to be published shortly

While the timeframe for the resumption of entertainment events remains uncertain and, is dependent on public health considerations, it is critical that a set of COVID-19 guidelines is developed and ready in advance of the re-opening of the sector.

Funding of almost €6m has been allocated in Budget 2021 to meet existing commitments pertaining to Ireland’s hosting of the Ryder Cup in 2027 and to fund potential future bids for major events. Such events not only have benefits for sport, they can also contribute to economic growth and have the potential to help in Ireland’s recovery from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the epidemiological position allows the Department will facilitate the practical work of hosting test events and refining our approach to ensure a safe return for spectators to sports events.

While the report of the COVID-19 Rapid Testing Group was recently published on the 1^stApril 2021 the immediate focus is being placed on establishing an agile rapid test knowledge group, which will enable information on validated tests and sampling to be widely shared across government departments, agencies and sectors. While it is not intended for rapid tests to replace PCR testing it does however have a role to play as another valuable tool in Ireland’s battle against COVID-19.