Live music restrictions
Deputy McGrath challenges the ban on live music in reopening hospitality guidelines, saying it is unfair to musicians and to Irish culture. The Tánaiste says the restriction is driven by public health and that people speaking over music would undermine distancing; the exchange becomes heated and the chair calls for order before the Tánaiste moves on.
The Taoiseach informed this House yesterday that no worker, artist or dancer should be left short-changed when the country reopens. Also yesterday, Fáilte Ireland, our national tourism development board, produced long-awaited recovery and resilience guidelines for the reopening of hospitality. All the guidelines say is that no live music is permitted indoors or outdoors. It is one short sentence. We are supposed to pride ourselves on our culture, traditional song and dance and everything else. Why is that the case? Are we going to have "The Lonesome Boatman" played as piped music in the bars or Biddy Earley's silent lament or the music of the famine ships? What does the Government have against the arts industry, the music, the song and the rinceoirí? What about the tradfests this year in small towns? What about the county fleadhs, the Munster Fleadh, the provincial fleadhs and the Fleadh Cheoil? This is our heritage. It is what we are made of, our very being. Is the Government trying to kill the spirit of our nation altogether that it will not allow a rince or a man on the fiddle, a tune or a recitation? There is no damhsa istigh or taobh amuigh. What is going on? Fáilte Ireland should be getting people back into this country on our national airline and let decisions like this be made by the Government. It does not know anything about this matter. Let it do what it is good at. Let the people live again, play, dance, sing and love each other.
Comment on this
I totally appreciate that this was very disappointing news for people who work in the live music sector. I can guarantee that Fáilte Ireland, our national tourism body, with which I worked closely for years, is a big supporter of Irish music and Irish arts.
Comment on this
If the Deputy does not know the reason for this, which he should know, it is one of public health.
