In recent months, we have heard impassioned pleas for assistance from almost every sector in the country. The Government, for the most part, has heard these pleas. Help has been provided that has gone some way towards easing the financial burdens of those most seriously impacted by Covid-19. While we remain in the increasing shadow of this virus, the new normal is unfolding as we find ways to operate within the restrictions and guidelines. The majority are being given some opportunity of survival to live alongside the virus. There is, however, a small but dynamic minority that remains firmly in the dark tunnel and is not seeing even a flicker of light on the horizon.

The entertainment industry in Ireland is dying. It is gasping for help and support. This industry is as vital to our culture as all our historic landmarks and breathtaking scenery. It has been silenced for six months. We are not only talking about the big household names in the industry that can no longer tour the country. We are talking about the guy with his guitar who plays in the pubs over the weekends, the bands that play at weddings and parties, the DJs who work in pubs and nightclubs and the actors who perform in established venues. The list that falls under the realm of entertainment is vast and varied. It accounts for no less than 35,000 people who make their living from bringing joy and pleasure to others.

The music has stopped and the party is over for many in the business. Their work may have stopped but their lives continue. The younger generation of entertainer is crippled with debt, such as mortgage commitments, repayment of loans on expensive gear and sound systems, leased vehicles and a variety of other costs that cannot be met. The entertainers with dependant families and co-workers are emotionally wrecked and financially strapped. This group of talented people crave relief from the bondage of their ordeal.

Numerous festivals and events across Tipperary are also impacted as they have been cancelled, with a huge loss of vital revenue to local clubs, organisations and charities. The seriousness of the knock-on effects are evident in my home town of Thurles, where we have two successful event companies. Of these, one specialises in all things electrical and the other provides a complete on-site cleaning service. The management and employees of both companies have been hammered by the repercussions of restrictions on live events and they need help. They need immediate support that will enable them to survive for what could realistically be up to two years.

It is somewhat ironic that our vibrant entertainment industry feels that its voice is not heard. As it stands, it will be the last sector to return to any form of normality. This fact must be recognised and reflected in next month's budget. The entertainment industry's demand for financial support must be heeded. Otherwise, it is facing its final curtain.

I agree with the Deputy. The music, entertainment, arts and cultural sectors are probably among the worst hit. The definition of their work is performance with an audience and that has meant they have not been able to operate. Some businesses have lost 80% and some have lost 30% but a lot of the performing sectors have lost 100% of their outlets, ability to work and livelihoods. It is not just their loss of livelihood but for us there is a loss of entertainment, inspiration, hope, culture and creativity in all of our lives. A price cannot be put on that but we all know it is a massive loss to us as a people.

In recognising that, the Government has introduced a number of measures, initially on a test basis in the July stimulus to try to see what might work. There was a €1 million pilot music stimulus package for funding schemes that were designed in conjunction with the music industry to see how it might be possible to support music venues or genres in this difficult time. There is also a €5 million pilot - again it is a pilot to see what works and then we can scale it up - live performance support scheme, which the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht set up to assist commercial venues, producers and promoters of live performance to provide employment to workers in the creative industries.

Recognising that we need to go further, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Deputy Catherine Martin, has established a new task force for the recovery of the arts and cultural sector under the chairmanship of Ms Clare Duignan. The task force, which met for the first time this week, includes culture, the arts, the audiovisual industry and the live entertainment industry, with the events industry alliance having two representatives on the task force. It has critical work to do to answer the question of how we will get our arts and entertainment industries through the worst of the pandemic.

On the pandemic unemployment payment, the difficulty is whether we can do something specific. It is difficult to apply universal social welfare payments down to specific areas but the Government has set up a cross-departmental task force to develop a clear approach, informed by the views of all stakeholders, to protect and sustain the arts and cultural sectors. That will play a key role as part of the development of the national economic recovery plan, which will have to come after the budget and complement and work with whatever is done in the budget to get our entire economy through this difficult period, but specifically the sectors which are hardest hit.

It is younger people and people in the entertainment, hospitality, arts and other sectors who are worst affected by this crisis and we need an economic recovery plan that specifically targets them in whatever way it can. I know my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, is talking to all of the people in the sector to try to get that right and I know the Taoiseach and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform have similar views that this has to be the focus of our attentions. I commit to that for those in Tipperary and beyond.

I thank the Minister for his response and his acknowledgement of the needs of this sector. The approach required to help must be multifaceted. Helping the entertainment industry to survive will require what the industry itself is all about, namely creativity. Financial support is crucial to it at this time. Getting the industry itself back on its feet, and therefore less dependent on the financial supports that are in place, will be a significant challenge while the necessary restrictions remain in place. I am requesting that the Government recognises the needs that have been spelled out in submissions from both the National Campaign for the Arts and the event production industry. I request that the Minister and his colleague, the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, who I accept has set up a task force, examine this issue and have that reflected in the budget. The situation of the industry needs urgent and meaningful responses in the forthcoming budget.

Will the Minister have discussions with the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and his party colleague, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, to find a way forward for the industry?

I commit to doing that and I know my Government colleagues will give their full attention to this. I will give one message of possibility. We have had real difficulty in recent times with increasing numbers but in the establishment of the five-level framework, there was a clear understanding that even within level 2, we needed to start allowing audiences to come back in a safe and organised way, depending on the size of the venue or how controlled it could be. For large areas of the country, where we hope there will not be an increased level of virus transmission, there will be the possibility of starting to organise some events.

This will have to be done under public health guidelines but the design of the levels, from my experience of the discussion on them, looked to try to give the capability of some events to return or performances to take place in a controlled environment with the proper social distancing. I have been to certain events in theatres or elsewhere and people are doing this. This industry is creative and highly capable, and it is keen to get back to work. We should start doing that. We should use the levels and, I hope, work collectively to get to lower levels of virus transmission.

We are not at a point where no events can take place but the events must take place in a safe environment. The industry can and should work with that aim in mind.