Níl an Teachta Fitzmaurice i láthair. Is é Teachta Haughey an chéad duine eile ar an liosta.

There is no facility for individual responses on Second Stage.

Impím ar an Aire tacú i gceart le healaíontóirí agus ceoltóirí na hÉireann go háirithe, agus déanamh cinnte nach mbeadh aon ghearradh siar ar an PUP dóibh siúd atá gafa leis an gcruachás san earnáil seo. Is í an chéad chuid den tsochaí a stop go hiomlán agus is í an ceann deireanach a thiocfaidh ar ais. I appeal to the Minister to remember the nation's creative minds, including the artists, musicians, film-makers, etc., who eased our journey throughout the Covid-19 crisis with their online contributions. For many t…

Táim ag iarraidh fáil amach ón Aire cén uair a bheidh plean tarrthála cuimsitheach againn don bhealach romhainn maidir leis an Ghaeilge, an Ghaeltacht agus na pobail atá cónaí orthu sna ceantair sin tar éis Covid-19. Cén uair a fheicimid an plean sin ón Rialtas?

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht a ardú céime chun Aire Stáit don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht. Tá súil agam go mbeimid in ann oibriú le chéile ar mhaithe na hearnála seo go háirithe. Chuala mé cad a bhí á rá ag an Aire Stáit agus tá brón orm, ach ní freagra é sin ar mo cheist. Don chuid is mó de na hearnálacha eile, tá bealach chun tosaigh, plean oibre nó pacáiste tarrthála chun déileáil le torthaí Covid-19 anois agus sa todhchaí leagtha amach cheana féin nó á leagadh amach ag an Roinn. Bhí an méid…

Fáiltím roimh an €5 milliún breise a luaigh an tAire Stáit d’Údarás na Gaeltachta, ach sin an t-aon mhaoiniú breise a fheicim go dtí seo don Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht. Arís, cén uair a bheidh an plean tarrthála don Ghaeltacht atá bainteach le Covid-19 á fhoilsiú? Ní bhaineann an t-ábhar seo leis na fadhbanna atá ann faoi láthair, ach na fadhbanna a bheidh ann do mhná tí an bhliain seo chugainn, mar an t-airgead a bheidh gá dóibh a infheistiú ina gcuid tithe, mar shampla. Beidh fadhbanna ann freisin do na hionaid …

This question relates to a comprehensive Covid-19 recovery roadmap for the arts and when it will be published. It was one of the first sectors to close down and will probably be one of the last sectors to reopen.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin. The return to full employment for the entertainment industry and those involved in artistic endeavour will prove challenging as we go through the phases of the roadmap. In some ways the Minister is asking all of those engaged in that sector of society to wait until the budget or when the task force will be set up at some stage. Whenever I have had an opportunity, either in the Dáil or at meetings of the Special Committee on Covid-19 Response, I have asked when the …

I accept that and I have acknowledged most of what the Minister has said already. It is not just the fault of the Minister, particularly as the task force could have been set up by the caretaker Government. It could have been established quite quickly under the new Government but we still have not seen sight of it. One of the problems now emerging, which in a way is under the Minister's brief, is that the Covid payment to many artists and musicians is being cut. Will the Minister have a conversation with the Minist…

Cén cúnamh breise atá á thabhairt do cheantair Ghaeltachta chun hallaí pobail a choimeád oscailte i mbliana agus sa bhliain seo chugainn?

Agus an tAire Stáit ag teacht chuig deireadh a fhreagra, bhí an cuma ar an scéal go raibh sé chun a fhógairt go raibh airgead éigin áit éigin tar éis a chruinniú leis an toscaireacht ó na hallaí pobail. Tá fadhbanna ollmhóra acu toisc go bhfuil a n-ioncam imithe go huile is go hiomlán toisc na coláistí samhraidh a bheith curtha ar ceal i mbliana toisc Covid-19. Ní ceist na foirgnimh a choimeád amháin an t-aon fhadhb atá ann. Tá seans nach mbeidh airgead ann an t-árachas agus na costais reatha eile a íoc. Is í sin a…

I gave a little bit of leeway there. The subject matter is the amendment that is before the House. I ask the next speakers to stick to the subject matter of the amendment from the Seanad rather than the full Bill.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. De bharr nach bhfuil aon Teachta eile ag iarraidh labhairt, glaoim ar an Aire freagra a thabhairt.

A message will be sent to Seanad Éireann acquainting it accordingly.

We are on amendment No. 3.

No, it is not a back and forth discussion. We are debating a Bill.

The Minister of State will respond at the end of the session, whether it is tonight or tomorrow morning.

Yes, we are adjourning at 9 o’clock or we will finish before that if no one else offers.

Yes, if the Deputy puts her questions the Minister of State will have five or ten minutes at the end of the debate to respond.

Beidh deis ag an Teachta ceisteanna a chur ar an Aire nó an Aire Stáit ar Chéim an Choiste. As there is no other speaker presenting, I call on the Minister of State to make his concluding remarks. He has three minutes or he can adjourn until tomorrow.