Internationally, tourism continues to recover steadily, yet several challenges remain, from geopolitical to economic. The combination of increasing interest rates in all major economies, rising energy and food prices and the growing prospects of a global recession are major threats to the recovery of international tourism for 2023. Hotel capacity, energy costs and labour shortages will continue to challenge the tourism industry here in Ireland this year. Though the strong early recovery of inbound tourism to Irelan…

The Deputy will be aware that I am familiar with the beauty of west Cork. I met him there when my family and I were on holidays. I am conscious of the impact on the wider tourism ecosystem, including the businesses he referred to. As regards the TBESS finishing on 28 February, the Government is discussing what will happen next, the supports that are needed and looking at detailed analysis. We in Ireland are absolutely resolute in our solidarity with and support for Ukraine and we are honouring our commitment to hel…

I assure the Deputy that the Government did not put such extensive supports in place during Covid for those businesses to close now. My Department and I have extensive and ongoing engagement with the sector. As I said earlier, the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I will convene and co-chair the tourism and hospitality forum next week in order to engage and hear concerns. On the 9% VAT rate, as I made clear to Deputy Verona Murphy, I have always said I am in favour of an extension to the lower rate of VAT for the touri…

On 1 December last, I approved the allocation of the remaining €1 million from my Department's commitment to the Galway European Capital of Culture programme to support delivery of the programme under the proposed legacy framework. It is expected that the legacy framework will be published on the website of Galway Culture Company, the successor trading entity to the Galway 2020 company, in the coming weeks. The website of Galway Culture Company, which is fully bilingual, has been live since last Monday and sets out…

As I said, of that €1 million, €500,000 will be to develop and support place-based cultural programming, while €200,000 will be to provide supports to the cultural and creative sector. Galway Culture Company is working to develop the legal framework of Galway's designation as European Capital of Culture and build on the learnings and outcomes. It operates within Galway City Council and is led by a board comprising local and regional leaders of organisations with a role and remit in the support of culture and creati…

I looked at the website and if you look at the itemised breakdown of investment in the local cultural sector during the lifetime of the projects, you can see the investment in local arts. The Deputy may be referring to physical infrastructure as legacy. The bid book for Galway 2020 upon which it was awarded the designation of Ireland's 2020 European Capital of Culture set out that any new cultural infrastructure to be delivered would be part of Galway's culture strategy 2016 to 2020, Everybody Matters, which is dev…

Anuraidh, choimisiúnaigh Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann, in éineacht le Foras na Gaeilge agus le tacaíocht ó mo Roinnse, tionscadal taighde chun an leibhéal spéise i seirbhís raidió Gaeilge dírithe ar an aos óg a fháil amach. Bhí dhá chéim ar leith sa tionscadal taighde. Ar an gcéad dul síos, Iorgadh tuairimí sampla ionadaíoch náisiúnta de dhaoine idir 15 agus 34 bliana d'aois maidir leis an spéis a bhí acu in éisteacht le stáisiún Gaeilge agus lena n-oscailteacht ina leith. Ba é an dara gné ná tuairimí phobal na G…

Mar a luaigh mé i mo fhreagra, ba mhaith liom, más féidir, an cineál seirbhíse seo a fheiceáil i bhfeidhm do dhaoine óga ach tá Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann mar an rialtóir craolacháin neamhspleách atá freagrach as seirbhísí craolacháin raidió neamhspleácha a cheadúnú in Éirinn. Is é an t-údarás, agus ní mise mar Aire, a thionscnaíonn an próiseas ceadúnaithe do sheirbhísí raidió. Faoi láthair, tá 22 seirbhís phobail nó sainspéise ar an aer. Nuair a bheidh toradh thionscadal taighde an údaráis againn, beidh sé ria…

Creidim go bhfuil sé tábhachtach ar dtús an taighde a fhoilsiú agus deis a thabhairt d’ Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann agus, nuair a chuirfear ar bun é, Coimisiún na Meán, machnamh a dhéanamh ar conas gur féidir eolas a dhéanamh d’aon straitéisí ceadúnaithe amach anseo. Seo cuid den chúis go bhfuil a leithéid de thaighde chomh tábhachtach, ní hamháin chun an leibhéal spéise sa tseirbhís seo a mheas ach chun tuairimí daoine faoi aon bhearnaí sa tseirbhís a mheastar atá ann a fháil amach chomh maith. Tá sé i bhfad ró…

I believe this question relates to the vulnerability to blacklisting and failure to vindicate people's rights as employees under EU and national law. The Deputy is following up on the previous question. It is an excellent use of his time.

I will answer the question tabled and then get back to the copyright. I understand that the Deputy's question on blacklisting refers to a situation when a person or persons are denied fair opportunities for work or they are discriminated against for one reason or another in gaining employment or both. Employment law is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and the mechanisms for dealing with allegations of breaches in the employment laws of the State are under his ae…

Employment practices in industry have been examined by the WRC. The Deputy had a role in the background on that examination. We constantly monitor the operation of the scheme and work with all stakeholders to bring enhancements where we can. The recent extension of section 481 is a positive development for the sector and all working in it. Without section 481, productions as diverse as "An Cailín Ciúin" and "The Banshees of Inisherin" would not be feasible in Ireland. The WRC and Labour Court are independent statut…

As I said earlier this morning, I note that Screen Producers Ireland strongly refutes any claim of blacklisting in the Irish film industry-----

-----and demonstrates its commitment to relations with the unions. If the Deputy knows of a specific instance, or of people to whom it has happened, it is up to him to make a complaint to the appropriate mechanism, which is the WRC. Certain individuals are claiming they have not been able to get a job since. The employment record of any individual is a private matter between him or her and the Department of Social Protection-----

-----and the individual and the Revenue Commissioners. If the Deputy is aware of a specific incident, it is up to him to make the complaint to the appropriate mechanism, which is the WRC.

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 20 together. Internationally, tourism continues to recover steadily, yet several challenges, both geopolitical and economic, remain. The combination of increasing interest rates in all major economies, rising energy and food prices, and the growing prospects of a global recession are major threats to the recovery of international tourism for 2023. Hotel capacity, energy costs and labour shortages will continue to challenge the tourism industry here in Ireland this year. Thoug…

Tourism Ireland has been quite fast off the mark. It put up a video on social media maybe three months ago. It shows the actors being interviewed about the beauty of where they worked on location in Achill and Inis Mór. The Deputy can retweet that to his heart's content. It is very aware of the immense value that this will bring to attract international tourists and is capitalising on that. That is another great reason we have tourism, arts and culture in the same portfolio. I have always talked about the links the…

On the day that is in it, I will take the opportunity to congratulate all our Irish Oscar nominees. I am so delighted that "An Cailín Ciúin" has made history today as the first Irish language film to be nominated. Beidh sé go hiontach ár dteanga dhúchais a bheith á cur os comhair an tsaoil mhóir oíche na nOscars. I also congratulate Paul Mescal and Colin Farrell for their best actor nominations, and, of course, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon. The record number of Irish nominations is a testament to…

I thank the Senators for their contributions. I am encouraged by the engagement we have seen on the Bill and the various issues related to it. This Bill represents a crucial stage in the journey of both the National Symphony Orchestra and the National Concert Hall. The transfer of the orchestra and this Bill mark an important next step in addressing the challenges for the orchestra as highlighted by the Boaden report and in delivering the National Concert Hall's vision of being an inspiring and world-renowned music…

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí as cabhrú leis an mBille seo a chur chun cinn go pras. As I have outlined previously, this is a technical enabling Bill but its outcome is important in that it allows for the continued funding of Fáilte Ireland's work in the area of tourism product development. I look forward to working alongside Fáilte Ireland as we continue to further the development of Ireland's tourism offering. As Senator Garvey said, I am the Minister with responsibility for tourism but I am also a green Mi…