I thank the Deputy. In support of action 19 in the report of the night-time economy task force and as part of the Department's key role in driving the night-time economy in Ireland, we are funding nine night-time economy advisers in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Kilkenny, Sligo, Longford, Buncrana and Drogheda. The night-time economy pilots are a significant project within the night-time economy policy area and arguably one of the most impactful. This year, I have allocated just under €1.4 million in funding to support these pilots to cover salary costs and a funding package to roll out their plans, including support for Culture Night Late and Cruinniú Late. The advisers are helping to drive and support a more sustainable night-time economy in their local areas. The Department engages with them regularly and supports their development. They also work collaboratively on larger projects, which have included a late-night transport campaign in partnership with the National Transport Authority and a late-night safety campaign. Each is responsible for developing specific action plans for their own areas. The Department has detailed service level agreements with each local authority setting out key objectives and deliverables. Following a competitive tendering process in 2024, Communiqué International was appointed to conduct a review of the nine night-time economy pilots to look critically at the structures involved in supporting the advisers, the visibility and impact of each in their respective areas, the future roll-out of the pilots, whether a further roll-out is warranted and what needs to be put in place. I understand that the review of the pilots has now concluded and the subsequent report is due to be finalised very shortly. The report will detail a set of recommendations in respect of the future of the pilots. I have not seen the report yet as it is not finalised and, therefore, I am not in a position to comment about what the findings are likely to be. Once the report is received, we will undertake a consultation exercise with the County and City Management Association and the wider night-time economy implementation group about the recommendations on the future roll-out, prior to publication. I expect publication to take place soon after that.
Sentiment score: 0.33
I thank the Deputy. The Oireachtas broadcasting unit, as the Deputy knows, is a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. All parties are represented at that commission. Those are ultimately the people who have responsibility for the operation and running of the Oireachtas. It would not be appropriate for me to cut across the Ceann Comhairle and members of the Oireachtas commission. In response to the comments the Deputy made about the night-time economy, much progress has been made in this space. During the week, for instance, the Government made a decision to establish a Dublin task force. This is not just a Dublin issue. It is an issue that relates to small towns and villages and other regional centres. I was glad to hear the Deputy reference the improvements that have been made to public transport. That is encouraging, although more in that space needs to be done. I see it in my own area. The Government has made significant investments in rural transport. All of that, together with the review of the report once I have finished it and can lay it before the House, will add substantially to the whole night-time economy.
Sentiment score: 0.17
I acknowledge the Deputy's support for the sector. He has been consistent in his remarks.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I thank the Deputy. I launched the grassroots music venues support scheme in March this year to support small and established music venues that promote themselves and are known in the community for programming grassroots music artists, in recognition of the contribution they make to the music industry and the wider night-time economy. The support scheme aims to provide employment opportunities for emerging artists and professionals, including production staff and crew, who are dependent on live performances. The scheme operated with a total fund of €500,000 and grants were available of up to a maximum of €15,000 to host events showcasing the talent of emerging grassroots artists performing live music that they have written or created themselves. A total of 96 applications were received by the Department and assessed strictly in accordance with the guidelines of the scheme. In line with the published criteria, applications were processed by my officials strictly by order of date and time of receipt, that is, on a first come, first served basis. In addition, venues had to meet the eligibility criteria in order to qualify for funding. Venues had to demonstrate that they promote themselves and are known in the community as an established live music venue or dance venue with grassroots music performance forming a core part of their programming. The venues had to operate with a capacity of 500 or less. Venues were also required to submit evidence, in the form of promotional material, photographic evidence and ticket sales, of a strong track record over two years, 2023 and 2024, of regularly programming grassroots music events. Applications were, as I said, assessed on a first come, first served basis. While regional dispersal of the awards was not considered as part of the assessment process, I am satisfied that the grants awarded demonstrate a good regional spread. In addition, the important feedback and insights gained from this pilot edition of the scheme will help inform us of any future decisions in respect of the scheme. I understand that some people might be disappointed, as I have already said. I recognise the value of this scheme to venues across the country and I am committed to considering another phase of this support in the not-too-distant future.
Sentiment score: 0.36
The Deputy will appreciate it was a pilot scheme that had a relatively small amount of money available and attracted considerable interest. The officials in my Department had to ascribe a basis for the allocation of the moneys, as I have outlined. They also had to cut it off at a certain point because there was no point in continuing secula seculorum. We will be doing this again and will have regard to those who were unsuccessful this time around. I hope to build the scheme into the budget for 2026 at a much higher level. We will take account of the findings from the initial tranche of the pilot. Hopefully, it will be put on a much more concrete basis in future, akin to something like the sports capital grants, where it will be done regularly. I want to try to support as many as I can and I want to support the smaller ones in particular. This was a first stab at it. In fairness to the officials in the Department, they did their best with a very small amount of money.
Sentiment score: 0.21
Regarding the previous question Deputy O'Donoghue raised, it will be appreciated by Deputy Ó Snodaigh that a small town like Buncrana has a night-time economy adviser that the Department made provision for. Many towns in Ireland that are much bigger than Buncrana do not have one. This is the basis of pilots. There will always be disappointment but once the pilots are concluded, that will give us an opportunity to take lessons from the scheme. I compared this to the sports capital grant. I know what the Deputy said was a bit tongue-in-cheek and he appreciates I would not ask anybody to divvy out €350 million on a first come, first served basis. This is €500,000. It is a start. It is regrettable that the party opposite is trying to undermine and pick holes in a scheme that, ultimately, I am trying to get into the budget. It has been welcomed by the night-time economy and the venues. Ultimately, there is disappointment. There was going to be disappointment when there was only €500,000 but I hope to be able to allay that disappointment in future. Rather than having a go at the scheme, it might be a more productive use of time to see if there were suggestions the party opposite might propose for the scheme in future.
Sentiment score: 0.10
Ah Jesus.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Oh my God.
Sentiment score: 0.27
The question is whether I will abolish the television licence and replace it with a tax. No, I will not. That is the end of that. I have no notion of doing it. That fund is in place to support RTÉ and public service broadcasters. It also supports Sound and Vision. I have no intention of replacing it. I also have no intention of going down a cul-de-sac as the Deputy would like us to do, which would be a road to nowhere for RTÉ and everyone associated with broadcasting. The short answer is "No".
Sentiment score: 0.01
I am here to answer questions regarding communications, so I will answer the question on communications. There was not really a question in the Deputy's second contribution. My position remains the same. The television licence is not a tax, by the way. I do not see that reference anywhere in the legislation, so I do not know what hat he drew that rabbit out of. It is an important funding mechanism for RTÉ. The Deputy would be the very first person out in RTÉ protesting if the Government were to in any way reduce funding to it. He wants to have his cake and eat it. On this, I am not going to go down the cul-de-sac where he just wants to erode the tax base of every element of public expenditure and revenue generation. He seems to think there is a phantom entity out there that can pay for everything bar yourself. That is the way he operates. In the real world of a constitutional democracy, that is not the way things work. If he ever gets the opportunity to spend a day in government, maybe he will realise that.
Sentiment score: 0.01
The Deputy is no stranger to RTÉ and he gets a fair crack of the whip there. Of course, he never uses the opportunity to express his thanks for the unbridled coverage he seems to get from RTÉ on a day in, day out basis. Those of us on this side of the House might have something to complain about if there was a fairness test. I do not, however, because it is a public service broadcaster and I am not going to interfere in editorial coverage.
Sentiment score: -0.05
The Deputy has form in this space. He does not want to pay for anything. He feels that everybody else should pay for something else other than him. He is entitled to start whatever campaign it is he wants to start to undermine another public service. I do not wish him the best of luck with it. Most people do not either. When he does get an opportunity to sit on this side of the House, with whoever it is that will actually have him as a partner in government, he will then see there is more to running a public service than a megaphone.
Sentiment score: 0.15
I thank the Deputy for the question and for his remarks at the start of his contribution. The programme for Government commits to assessing the basic income for the arts pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. I appreciate the importance of the basic income support for artists, which is why last week I announced that the Cabinet had agreed to my proposal to an extension of six months to allow further evaluation of the pilot data. This will also give sufficient time to engage in stakeholder consultation and to evaluate the data which will provide the evidence base for Government to make decisions on the next steps. The primary objective of the scheme is to help artists deal with the precarious incomes and to prevent talent from leaving the sector for economic reasons. Evaluation of the pilot is and has been continuous, with participants completing a detailed survey every six months. The Department has been undertaking a comprehensive research programme based on this data. I am aware that there is broad-based support for the scheme, and I recently met with the National Campaign for the Arts to discuss the scheme. I intend to bring proposals for a permanent intervention to Cabinet as part of budget 2026 based on the evidence arising from the research programme and stakeholder engagement. The current scheme costs just under €35 million per year to provide the payment to 2,000 recipients. The cost of a six-month extension is €16.7 million. The net overall cost of the pilot scheme to the Exchequer is likely to be less, given the high number of recipients who were previously on social welfare supports prior to the scheme. A cost-benefit analysis currently under way should bring further clarity to the overall costs. While the research phase of the pilot scheme is still ongoing, it is clear from evidence collected to date under the scheme that it is having a positive impact on participants. The scheme support is hugely valued by artists in receipt of it. It has been the subject of much positive commentary both at home and abroad and makes an important statement about the value that the Government and Ireland place on the arts. A Government decision will be required on a successor scheme once the research is concluded.
Sentiment score: 0.39
I agree with the Deputy, to be honest about it. It has shone a light on the precarious nature of the income, which was the initial overriding consideration my predecessor had when this scheme was brought in. Not everybody was enthusiastic about this scheme when it was brought in but, qualitatively and quantitatively, when we have the research concluded, it will demonstrate in a clear way that this is a good scheme. Ultimately, I would love to be able to broaden it, but it will be resource dependent in the context of the budget. First of all, I will have to get Cabinet approval for its continuation as a scheme. The amount of funding that will be made available to it will obviously be a determining factor in respect of the number of people we will be able to support. We will also have to have consideration, as the Deputy rightly said, for those who would have loved to be part of the initial scheme but who, unfortunately, for one reason or another, were not. There is a bit to roll on this yet but the most important thing is that the Government, the Department and I, as Minister, are committed to it.
Sentiment score: 0.44
I will take the last part first. Once I have had an opportunity to digest the material - the Deputy would accept that is not unreasonable - it will give me an opportunity to make further decisions. As regards the result of the analysis and the possible publication, we want to be sensitive to people's individual identities, etc. I do not want to compromise people one way or another. I also am conscious, as I stated, that there are a number of people who did not get to participate on the scheme. It is important to point out that even outside of the scheme there is significant support being provided by my Department, indirectly or directly, to the arts. The total budget for the Arts Council is of the order of €140 million. This is not insignificant. It has grown quite large over the past number of years under successive Ministers and we hope to be able to continue that trajectory during the lifetime of the Government.
Sentiment score: 0.27