Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Dublin South-Central · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“In a reply to a parliamentary question on MetroLink in April of this year, the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, again stated his belief that the MetroLink terminus can facilitate any potential future MetroLink expansion to serve the south west, south or south east of Dublin should sufficient demand develop. That demand is already there.”
“A millennium and a half later, with Ireland serving as the President of the Council of the European Union, it is the same law we want to see enforced in the era of AI. In the words of the author Scott Turow, in paraphrasing The Atlantic's Alex Reisner, the bold future promised by AI has been "created with stolen words".”
“Tá roinnt samplaí anseo agam. Glacaim leis gur chuir an conradh agus BÁNÚ roinnt samplaí eile chuig an Aire ag léiriú an damáiste a dhéanfaidh sé sin. In ainneoin an méid atá ráite aige, i gceantair áirithe, tá coinníollacha ar leith ann ó thaobh forbróirí atá ag forbairt iliomad tithíochta faoi láthair.”
“Theft is being rewarded and creativity is being punished to the tune of €22 billion globally in music and film, according to the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers. The European directives are no longer fit for purpose because of the exemptions granted to train AI.”
“Cloisim é seo. Chuala mé é thar na blianta ó dhaoine a bhí ag iarraidh go laghdófaí teorainn na Gaeltachta. Bhí siad ag iarraidh díriú isteach ar na ceantair a bhí in ísle brí ó thaobh labhairt na Gaeilge chun iad a chaitheamh amach ón nGaeltacht. Bhí siad ag iarraidh go mbeadh an Ghaeltacht srianta go dtí ceantair ina bhfuil 50% ann.”
“Bhí líne den scoth sa leabhar Ag Caint Linn Fhéin , a scríobh Joe Steve Ó Neachtain, laoch an Ghluaiseacht Chearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta agus ealaíontóir ildánach, "Is é an croí atá i gceol na hÉireann a dhéanann náisiún mór den náisiún beag seo ar fud an domhain." Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. Tír gan ealaín, tír gan chroí.”
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Every one of 904 lines we hold for Aengus Ó Snodaigh, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 19.
“Faoi Acht na dTithe (Gaeltacht) (Leasú), 2001, tá cumhachtaí ar leith ag an Aire. An bhfuil sé sásta na cumhachtaí sin a úsáid? An bhfuil sé tar éis a bheith i dteagmháil leis an Aire tithíochta chun go mbeidh sé ar an eolas faoi na cumhachtaí seo agus gur féidir leis an Aire deontais ar leith a thabhairt do dhaoine atá ag iarraidh a bheith ina gcónaí sa Ghaeltacht?”
“Bhí sé geallta go dtabharfaí cumhachtaí nua d’Údarás na Gaeltachta. Bhí sé geallta ó 2021 go bhfoilseofaí treoirlínte pleanála do thithe sa Ghaeltacht chomh maith. Dúradh linn ag an am go raibh na treoirlínte sin beagnach réidh, ach fós níl siad ann. Níl ceachtar de na gealltanais sin comhlíonta agus tá muintir na Gaeltachta thíos leis dá bharr gan tithíocht do lánúineacha nó clainne nua. Cén fáth ar gá dúinn fanacht go dtí 2027 ar ráiteas náisiúnta phleanáil Ghaeltachta? Cén uair a bheas Céim na Tuarascála don Bhille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2024 againn? An mbeidh cumhachtaí breise aige maidir le ceist na tithíochta sna Gaeltachtaí?”
“The EU directive sets out in black and white that performers have a right to equitable remuneration which cannot be waived. That is the intention of the amendment. The contracts I quoted very clearly demanded the waiving of those rights. At least this issue has been given a hearing. If it continues in the way it is going, we will be back to this again next year if there has been no movement. We will deal with this again if Equity and other representatives of performers are able to show us that artists are being asked to work under worse conditions than those employed on the same production in England and who have the rights that pertain in England rather than those which pertain here. That means they work under lesser conditions. I am glad we have had the debate and I welcome the commitments the Minister has given.”
“I hear the reluctance, which has been there all along, to add conditionality to section 481. There is an acknowledgement of changes in a flourishing industry. We need to make sure that while it flourishes the message goes out from here, from the Government and from Revenue that any attempts to mislead will not be tolerated in any shape or form. This applies to only one or two companies, but it seems to be a habit to try to bypass the EU copyright directive in any way or force artists to waive their hard won rights or to waive their rights to income because a lot of this concerns residuals. If a film is successful, money comes back from it being shown over and over again. Artists have residual rights to their own work.”
“I will come back to another point, which shows that there can be discrimination between people employed in England to work in Ireland and people who are contracted directly here.”
“They are asked to sign away their rights, and I can quote contracts that artists have been asked to sign where they specifically state the artist acknowledges that the "fees payable herein constitute a complete buyout of all rights contemplated hereunder". That is a buyout and that is contrary to law, but artists are not going to be in a position if they want an income there and then or over the following couple of months to waive that because the contract I am referring to also states: "No artist can render on-camera services until the artist agreement has been signed by the artist". They are being held at ransom: "Sign this, or you will not work." That is not the type of industry we want.”
“On the last point, in some ways I agree with the Minister that laws cannot be disapplied but the problem is the frustration for people when the law is being ignored. The point Deputy Ó Murchú was making is that one of the problems is that to avail of section 481, companies are set up, which then disappear, so the Minister does not have recourse to chase after them after the fact. When artists try to start a process - and the courts move very slowly - at that stage the production is completed and the vehicle that was set up to avail of section 481 has disappeared. It is quite clear. Very few artists have the luxury of being able to challenge what is put in front of them.”
“If outside of Dates of Engagement, services shall be subject only to Artists prior professional commitments (notified to the Company in advance)(Artist shall use best endeavours to accommodate Company’s schedule). To maximise effectiveness of any Related Production (and, thus, the Series), Company is entitled to use extracts from the Series within any Related Production at no additional cost. I will continue in my second contribution.”
“There is a wider issue of productions marketing themselves as Pact or Equity equivalent or claiming to be in line with the Equity rate without providing the appropriate contract. This is not the same as operating under an actual registered collective agreement such as the Pact-Equity agreement itself and that distinction matters. The casting advice note specifies that the contract would be for a ten-year worldwide licence. It states: ...the Company shall have the right to use Artist’s name, voice and likeness in connection with any merchandising relating to the Series and no royalties or other additional compensation shall be payable in connection therewith. It goes on to state that: No additional compensation if render services on a Related Production during the Dates of Engagement.”
“There are more questionable clauses contained in those contracts that demand that artists sign away their rights for a period of ten years' unlimited use for a fixed amount. This is a buyout contract and will not provide any structure that will allow equitable or proportionate revenue share going to those artists for the ongoing exploitation of their production and their contribution. We have also been provided with a casting advice note for a television series which was being produced or is being produced here at present, a co-production in receipt of section 481 relief. The Irish producers are using the 2016 SPI Equity indigenous television agreement which, in fact, ran out in 2019 and as a result is no longer fit for purpose, nor is it compliant with current legislation.”
“A performer cannot agree that a sum of money amounts to a proportionate remuneration without knowing what is proportionate in advance of revenue being earned. The aim of requiring such agreement is to protect any future claim and possibly also any contractual adjustments based on subsequent revenues, and this is contrary to Article 20 of the EU copyright directive. Building in buyouts as a norm for performers and creators undermines the directive. Transparency mechanisms should also be agreed to adapt the remuneration to subsequent revenues and trigger revision of the initial contract when revenues are disproportionately higher than the remuneration initially agreed. Terms of use must be defined in order for the assessment of the projected revenues to be properly made.”
“The amendment I have set out would ensure that certificates required for the section 481 tax relief could only be issued to qualifying companies that do not treat Irish performers any worse than their peers from other jurisdictions doing the same work, to companies which comply with copyright legislation and to companies which do not engage in the practice of so-called buy-out contracts. Serious concerns have been raised by Irish Equity over contracts being drawn up by legal advisers at the request of certain producers which both agents and the artists are required to sign in order to get work with the excuse that particular clauses are required in the interests of legal certainty. These contracts appear to be worded in a manner that sets out to diminish the Copyright and Related Rights Act and the EU copyright directive.”
“I was not able to speak on this amendment when Paschal Donohoe was before the committee. In rejecting the amendment in committee, he outlined that he did "not believe it is appropriate for legal rights to be linked to only one set of circumstances where a company avails of a tax credit". It is extraordinary that the Government would oppose an attempt to ensure that a basic requirement, compliance with the law, should be a condition for receiving tax relief and that Irish workers should not face worse conditions on an Irish State-supported film than co-workers from abroad.”
“This amendment does not deal with some of the practices that have undermined workers' rights, including their protective rights. The amendment deals specifically with the contracts workers are being forced to sign. They are being asked to sign away their rights and being encouraged to bypass the European directive and Irish law, otherwise they will not get the work that is front of them. The proposal is to change the conditionality that exists for the section 481 tax relief, that is, the certification that is required to be filled in and the additional conditionality included in that, which would mean that the companies that are trying to flaunt the law in Ireland by offering lesser conditions for workers in this field would not be able to continue to do so.”
“Guím gach rath ar an Tánaiste ina phost nua. Tá súil agam go ndéanfaidh sé beart de réir a bhriathair. Níl mé chun dul sa mhéid a bhí an Teachta Doherty ag rá leis, ach tá jab mór roimhe agus tá súil agam go mbeidh tairbhe ann do phobal na hÉireann uilig. This amendment is very specific. It deals with the section 481 tax relief. We have what is no longer a fledgling film industry; it is there. The Minister, in particular, will be aware of the benefits of the film industry in his county. However, there have been quite a lot of issues from a worker's point of view as to whether we get the best benefit for our buck. Tax relief is tax forgone by the State, and that means we need to make sure we are getting the full benefit.”
“Tairgim leasú Uimh. 25: In page 68, line 26, to delete “appropriate,”,” and substitute the following: “appropriate, (vii) a condition that the qualifying company shall, in respect of the qualifying film concerned, comply fully with the Copyright and Related Rights Act 2000 and the Directive (EU) 2019/790 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019, (viii) a condition that the qualifying company shall make every effort to ensure that performers, writers, composers, artists and other film workers resident within the jurisdiction will not be subject to lesser terms and conditions regarding the licencing or assignment of their intellectual property rights than persons resident outside the jurisdiction engaged in similar roles when employed on the same qualifying film, and (ix) a condition that the qualifying company shall not require performers, writers, composers, artists or other film workers to sign away their rights to future residual payments for their work on a qualifying film, or to agree to a so-called ‘buy-out’ contract, as a pre-condition of working on the qualifying film,”,”.”
“We previously had a regional uplift under the section 481 scheme, which was very successful in encouraging film outside of the east coast or the Dublin-Wicklow region. That was interrupted by the Covid pandemic. Has that been looked at again? Has a Gaeltacht uplift been considered in light of the great films that have been created in those regions, where investment has paid off?”
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime - though maybe not in a lifetime - opportunity to enhance Ireland's reputation. In one small area of Dublin city, the north inner city, which has had bad press in recent times, Troy Parrott, Kellie Harrington and people like them have shown that, even when conditions are adverse, sports can shine through. The more we invest in sports and in those communities, the more we will see great sportspeople into the future, whom we can all follow and use to encourage other young people into sport. In an earlier response, the Minister of State mentioned that Dublin City Council will get about €6 million out of this. Again, I encourage him to look at that funding again and to increase it to ensure that the Dublin region as a whole and areas outside of it can get more from the investment.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. We have an opportunity. While €93 million has been committed it is 2028 so there is an opportunity to add to that. The Government has committed to the €93 million. We know what the return is but between now and 2028 greater investment can be put into local clubs and communities to ensure we get the greatest benefit for Dublin and outside the city as well because even though the matches are being held here, this is the world stage. We need to ensure that similar to other large sporting events that have been held in Ireland in the past, and will be held shortly, we will be on the world stage and need to ensure that not just what happens on the pitch but what happens outside it works well. There is need for a greater investment.”
“I did not think we would get to this question but some of it has been discussed with the Minister of State in the context of investment in sport and where we finished off discussing Euro 2028. I am asking whether the city, neighbouring towns and communities and sports clubs can host fans and the international teams and create events similar to what happen during the Special Olympics in 2003.”
“I have a question down on this issue, but for some reason it has not been grouped with these questions even though it is on the exact same matter. How long will the new cohort be on the basic income scheme? Maybe the Minister has not worked that out. I think he said that €18 million has been set aside for next year. That indicates that this scheme will not start until June if it is the same funding of €325 a week.”
“I do not know whether that is being considered for Euro 2028 as all the matches are concentrated in Dublin. However, that does not mean all the investment must be concentrated in Dublin.”
“I concur with everything the Minister of State said. Troy Parrott is an example to us all that if there is investment in sports, especially in areas that are disadvantaged, it can bring about huge changes in people's lives. That is why I am encouraging greater investment in the facilities programme of the FAI and the League of Ireland to ensure we get the best out of our youths and we do not end up with youths having to go abroad for academies and the like. I know from my own family of younger kids who had to go abroad to avail of the best standards in terms of academies. I understand a delivery company was set up for some of this. I hope it will be able to deliver. When the Special Olympics were held here in 2003, there were hosts and host areas.”
“As I said, this investment is welcome, and also welcome is the fact it will generate a return of €400 million-plus. I recognise that a huge amount of money must be spent on security, Dublin City Council, etc. Out of the full €93 million, the €6 million on the legacy plan seems paltry. I encourage the Government to invest more or a greater portion of the allocation in that. In the past, the FAI and the League of Ireland have set out a vision for facilities investment, with the aim of helping clubs at the very lowest level to improve their dressing rooms, especially, and extend dressing rooms to enable more girls to play. I recognise that the Government has taken some steps on this but I ask that further investment be made out of this pot of money.”
“I seek a breakdown of the projected State expenditure of €93 million on hosting the Euro 2028 soccer games. It is a welcome investment that will result, I hope, in greater investment in the sport. I am interested in what the breakdown is and how soccer clubs and communities around the country will benefit.”
“However, when a project is announced with a particular cost, the public starts to believe that is the amount it will cost until, all of a sudden, a new figure is announced. This makes us, as politicians, look a bit stupid.”
“Perhaps we will address the fact that it is the only cultural institution outside of Dublin in the future and can examine how to make sure there are other national institutions outside of Dublin rather than concentrate all of them in one city. Costs have increased substantially. The gallery renovation will add an extra 50% in terms of space for exhibitions and so on. A lot of work will be done to make the gallery accessible in the future. Even a 40% increase in construction inflation would only bring the cost to €40 million. What exactly are the changes in the design or refurbishment that brought about such a substantial jump? It is a good investment and I have absolutely no problem with the figure.”
“Initially, the contractor was supposed to have been selected at the start of this year. What is the delay? Is the contractor signed, sealed and guaranteed to start work now that the gallery is closed? The Obelisk of Bronze by Michael Warren was removed recently, which signalled the closure of the gallery for three years. As the Minister said, in 2020 the estimated cost was €28 million. What is the point in having an estimated cost if no design work or proper planning is done? We have now arrived at a figure of €93 million. It is a good investment and I am not arguing that we should not spend the money, but the figure was €28 million in 2020 and there has been a big jump since. Has the project substantially changed from that which was projected to cost €28 million?”
“This question relates to the estimated costs for the welcome redevelopment of Crawford Art Gallery in Cork, one of the highlights for tourists visiting the city. The cost has increased substantially since the original forecast. Will the Minister outline the changes in design that have caused the increase?”
“There is still time for Ireland to take a stance and to indicate to Basketball Ireland that it has the support of the Government in supporting the women playing for Ireland who did not want to play this fixture because of threats and intimidation from the other team and, in particular, because of the sporting boycott, which is a worldwide phenomenon at the moment against Israel. I thank Irish Sport for Palestine for its laudable work in profiling this case.”
“We can have a discussion about Israel and genocide but that is not the purpose of this. International fixtures against genocidal nations is not a matter for the national sporting bodies alone. If Ireland had taken a stronger stance, and if the sporting body had gone ahead with a fixture against the Government's position then, I think, the Minister of State would have a different approach here. However, the match went ahead and, regrettably, the Irish team lost but there is a further match in March of next year.”
“Was the Minister of State aware of that and what action or support did he give to Basketball Ireland and the women being faced with this match?”
“I presume the Minister of State would have been aware, or at least Basketball Ireland would have made him aware, of the predicament it was in and what it was facing in terms of playing an international fixture and that it was being threatened with fines up to €180,000 if it did not go ahead with such a match. This is despite the fact the international governing body for the sport, FIBA, had taken a different stance with regard to Ukraine and Russia in 2022. In fact, Basketball Ireland was ahead of the game because it had indicated at that stage it would not play Russia ahead of the international body. However, in this instance, the international body was threatening Ireland with huge fines if it did not go ahead with a fixture that was scheduled against the team.”
“This question is prompted by the situation the Ireland women's national basketball team found itself in because it was forced to play against an aggressor nation team, namely, Israel. The question relates to the details of the engagement the Department had with Basketball Ireland over the past six months while this topic was being discussed.”
“Tugann sí aitheantas don Roinn ó thaobh na scoile nua a bheidh aici an bhliain seo chugainn agus an méid atá faighte aici go dtí seo ach níl an Roinn ag déileáil léi ar chomhchéim le scoileanna eile toisc gur bunaíodh í tar éis an dáta ar dhún an córas DEIS.”
“Tá sí ag lorg go mbeadh bealach éigin aici stádas eisceachtúil a fháil a thugann aitheantas di. Dá mbeadh an scéim DEIS oscailte di, bheadh sé sin á fháil di. Dá mbeadh sé sin aici, bheadh sí in ann acmhainní breise a fháil, acmhainní múinteoireachta agus acmhainní breise chun díriú isteach ar fhadhbanna bunúsacha san áireamh. Mar a dúirt mé, tá an scoil lonnaithe i gceantar atá ag fás ach is ceantar é ina raibh fadhbanna bunúsacha ann le déanaí de bharr na gcíréibeacha dírithe ar an ionad IPAS in Iarthar na Cathrach. Tá roinnt de na páistí ag teacht ón ionad sin chun dul ar scoil. Tá an scoil seo ag déanamh éacht ag cuidiú leo siúd agus leis na páistí eile sa cheantar.”
“Tá fadhb bhunúsach leis an bhfreagra a thug an tAire Stáit. Ní scoil DEIS í. Níl stádas DEIS ag an scoil seo mar bunaíodh í tar éis an dáta. Is í sin an fhadhb bhunúsach. Ní féidir leis an scoil an t-airgead, an maoiniú ná na hacmhainní breise a fháil toisc nach bhfuil aon bhealach aici an stádas seo a bhaint amach in ainneoin go bhfuil sí ag cloí le beagnach gach uile chuid. Tá beagnach 25% de na páistí ag teacht ó IPAS nó ó chlanna nach bhfuil dídean acu. Tá 40% ag brath ar leas sóisialta. Tá fadhbanna bunúsacha ann ó thaobh an chur chuige sin. Chomh maith leis sin, tá naonúr as an 55 páiste atá ag freastal ar an scoil sin i ranganna speisialta. Tá gá díriú isteach ar na fadhbanna breise. Níl an scoil ag lorg go mbeadh aon stádas breise aici anuas ar cad atá ag scoileanna cosúil léi.”
“Tá an doras sin dúnta ar an scoil agus cailleann páistí, múinteoirí agus tuismitheoirí na scoile amach ar na hacmhainní foirne, ar home school community liaison, ar mhaoiniú, ar acmhainní breise, ar thacaíochtaí breise liteartha agus uimhearthachta, ar fhorbairt ghairmiúil leanúnach agus araile. Ní féidir iad sin a fháil toisc nach scoil DEIS í. Impím ar an Aire nua, an Teachta Hildegarde Naughton, stádas eisceachtúil a bhronnadh ar Ghaelscoil Lir mar aitheantas ar na cúinsí eisceachtúla atá ag an scoil seo. Tá an staid reatha leagtha síos i litir a chuir an scoil chuig an Roinn.”
“Chomh maith, toisc gur Gaelscoil atá inti ina bhfuil tumoideachas iomlán i bhfeidhm, níl na huaireanta breise atá ar fáil do English as an additional language, EAL, ar fáil do na páistí nach Béarla a chéad teanga mar is i rang a haon a thosaíonn siad ar an mBéarla go foirmiúil. Níl aon aitheantas ar na deacrachtaí ar leith do scata 15 páiste atá ag teacht ón ionad IPAS in Iarthar na Cathrach i gcomhthéacs na gcíréibeacha le déanaí a bhí dírithe orthu siúd atá lonnaithe ansin, na páistí scoile sin atá ag freastal ar Ghaelscoil Lir san áireamh. Níl aon bhealach leagtha síos le scoil nua na coinníollacha uilig atá ann chun stádas DEIS a bhaint amach a chomhlíonadh.”
“Tá éagsúlacht mhór i measc phobal na scoile seo idir pháistí néara-éagsúla atá ag freastal ar an dá rang uathachais atá ag an scoil agus pháistí ó thíortha eile atá cláraithe inti. Tá 25% de pháistí na scoile ina gcónaí i gcóiríocht shealadach idir pháistí gan dídean agus pháistí gur iarrthóirí ar chosaint idirnáisiúnta iad. Tá páistí áitiúla agus páistí ón India, ón Úcráin, ón Afraic agus ó thíortha eile timpeall an domhain sa scoil agus tá leibhéal ard míbhuntáiste le sonrú i measc phobal na scoile seo. Tá an Ghaeilge agus an Béarla mar theangacha breise ag céatadán suntasach páistí sa scoil seo ach níl stádas DEIS ag an scoil toisc gur bunaíodh í i ndiaidh spriocdháta na Roinne. Dá réir, tá na páistí seo gan iomlán na tacaíochtaí riachtanacha a thagann le scéim na gcúntóirí teanga, atá ar fáil do scoileanna DEIS lánGhaeilge eile.”
“Is Gaelscoil chomhoideachasúil, ilchreidmheach agus ionchuimsitheach faoi phátrúnacht an Fhoras Pátrúnachta í a chuireann fáilte roimh chách. Bhí 15 páiste ann an chéad bhliain agus tá 55 páiste ag freastal ar an scoil anois. Beidh siad ag bogadh isteach i bhfoirgneamh nua buan an t-earrach seo chugainn. Mar aon le chuile bhunscoil eile, tá sonas, sábháilteacht agus folláin na ndaltaí ag croílár gach a ndéantar sa scoil. Chomh maith leis sin, toisc gur Gaelscoil í, tá grá don teanga agus don chultúr Gaelach á fhorbairt i measc na bpáistí. Ní féidir é sin a dhéanamh gan tacaíocht ón Roinn oideachais ná aitheantas uaithi ar na deacrachtaí ar leith atá ag an scoil seo agus í ag triail a gcúraimí a chothú go hoideachasúil.”
“Baineann an cheist atá agam leis an ngá le tacaíocht bhreise a thabhairt do Ghaelscoil Lir i mBaile Átha Cliath 24. Is ceist phráinneach í seo toisc an ualaigh mhillteanaigh atá ar an scoil bheag seo, ar fhoireann na scoile agus ar thuismitheoirí agus pobal na scoile, atá faoi stró as cuimse. Níl aitheantas tugtha do na dúshláin atá rompu agus níl na hacmhainní ná an cúnamh cuí chun tabhairt faoi na fadhbanna ná na baic bhunúsacha atá ar an scoil seo á thabhairt. Tá éacht á dhéanamh ag an bpríomhoide, Clíona Ní Dhúill, agus ag an bhfoireann atá aici. Tá ár mbuíochas tuillte acu. Níl aon duine ag lorg tacaíocht nach bhfuil ann do scoileanna cosúil le Gaelscoil Lir. D'oscail Gaelscoil Lir a doirse i Meán Fómhair 2021 chun freastal ar phobal Iarthar na Cathrach, Theach Sagard agus an Caisleán Nua.”
“One of the jobs of a comedian is to force us to look through laughter at our lives and positions and make sure that we can laugh at ourselves as well as at the world. Even in the toughest times the jokes, craic and comedy are what breaks the ice. I hope the Minister, in the less than two weeks we have before we come back here to vote, will reconsider his decision to have an 18-month delay and adopt Deputy Ahern's amendment. If he wants to proceed with the delay, I would be happy to accept the amendment to ensure a short delay. It would be the same as passing the Bill today. The arts committee is booked up until Christmas and early into the new year. Let us adopt the Bill and continue the debate. Let us make sure that comedians in Ireland get their due recognition.”
“The simple impulse that gave us the seanachaí, poet and playwright also gave us stand-up. It would be extraordinary if the country that does comedy best does not recognise it. At this stage, I want to recognise the contributions of the other Deputies who spoke, including Deputies Mitchell, Cronin, Gibney, Ahern, Brennan and Heneghan, and the Minister of State. It was an interesting debate and it was useful to have it. I was not sure whether I ever wanted to hear some of the commentary about people's personal hygiene habits, but at the end of the day it was a bit of a joke and a laugh. We all laughed at it and we are all together. We did not fall out and we will not fall out on this matter. I can see the headlines tomorrow about all the comedians in the Dáil and how many of them are connected.”
“Canada, Australia and New Zealand are inclusive in their funding of the arts. Scotland has done the same. We have lagged behind. That is not policy. We need a policy of cultural decolonisation and that can be supported by accepting the Bill. It is about deciding for ourselves what art means in our own voices and on our own terms. Our culture has always integrated laughter and intellect. It is built into the DNA of how we communicate, from Swift to Wilde, Beckett to Dave Allen, Deirdre O'Kane, Dylan Moran, Dara Ó Briain, David O'Doherty, Alison Spittle to Joanne McNally and Tommy Tiernan. Our best comic artists have always used humour to express insight, understanding and truth. We come from a storytelling culture, often an unwritten culture. That brings us back to our colonial past, where truth and laughter live side by side.”
“Seamus Aloysius Burke said in 1924 he was very much afraid that public libraries would exhibit such things as musical comedy. We are still in the same space as were over 100 years ago. It would be a crying shame if, 100 years on, Fine Gael - the party that Deputy represented - provided the same reason for comedy to be excluded. I mentioned Richard Cook, who outlined the irony that the Arts Council funds venues and festivals that rely on comedy to fill seats in order to pay bills and develop audiences, yet it does not recognise comedy and closes its doors to comedians. He also challenged us to resist the hangover of old British colonial class-based ideas of art, where tragedy on stage was seen as noble but comedy rooted in the working class was seen as somewhat lesser. Other former colonies have gotten over this legacy.”
“The wider legacy of snobbery that sees classical music but not country and western supported, funds opera but not musical theatre and excludes fashion design and storytelling as well as comedy needs to be addressed. That is a point we have heard. The Arts Council has to address that. If the arts committee needs to bring the council before it on matters other than IT supports and deal with the recognition of arts, that is something we should do. We should not have to discuss legislation to effect that. Comedian Sinead Crilly put it very powerfully earlier when she spoke to TDs and Senators. She said it feels like there simply is not money for people doing arts more for the working class. The same snobbery was on show the first time comedy was ever discussed the Dáil.”
“Even then, it would go to committee and the committee would decide. The Government has a majority on the committee and, therefore, can delay it even further. The Bill will not even reach Committee Stage. At least that would allow us to continue the debate in committee and allow those who are affected a platform to explain how it has affected them. It would allow the Arts Council a platform to explain why it took the decision it did. It would also allow the Minister a platform to explain why, if he believes at that stage there is a need for a further delay, that is his approach. The Arts Council continues to refuse to consider comedians as artists worthy of support.”
“There is no need for it, but because the Arts Council, in its current format, will not recognise that, it needs to be dealt with through legislation. Deputy Brennan made the point that other arts forms, such as country and western music, amateur drama, musical theatre and Irish dancing, fall under the Arts Act because it specifically names drama, music and so on. It is discrimination by the Arts Council in all of those forms. In this case, because it is not mentioned the council is able to claim that it will not fund it in any way. The Arts Council is failing in its duty under section 9. The Minister should withdraw or not pursue his delaying tactic. At the very least, he should adopt, on Wednesday week, Deputy Ahern's amendment. It would allow the Minister to delay this for a month which, in effect, delays it until the end of January.”
“As I said, there is no reason for it. The Arts Council is already obliged under section 9 of the Arts Act to promote knowledge, appreciation and practice of the arts and assist in improving standards in the arts, but because it does not consider comedy as art, it therefore refuses to do so. Where it provides scholarships, bursaries, residencies and mentorships to other artists, it does not provide that for comedians. The Arts Council is not required to exclude comedy. The Department of culture, under the previous Minister, Catherine Martin, made it clear that stand-up, sketch and improv could be considered part of a recognised art form of theatre. The Arts Council chose to continue to discriminate. That is shameful and that is why I introduced the Bill.”