Financial investment without adequate legislative change rings hollow
Financial investment without adequate legislative change rings hollow - The Labour Party
Labour’s Arts spokesperson Rob O’Donoghue TD says that venue financial investment without legislative change will only ever be a halfway measure.
Deputy O’Donoghue said:
“Today, Minister O’Donovan announced the recipients of the €500,000 Grassroots Music Venues Support Scheme. This is a measure to be welcomed, but while venues find themselves struggling because of legislative barriers, extra funding will only ever be a band-aid on a growing problem.
“The continued restrictions on licensing laws and rising insurance costs around the country is the ultimate barrier to a thriving artistic scene and is the main cause for the decline of nightclubs and music venues, in both rural and urban settings.
“Over the past 20 years, we have seen a hollowing out of many arts spaces and venues here in the capital and right across the country. We’ve counted at least 52 artist spaces and venues that have closed over this period. These losses have struck a serious blow to the cultural fabric and energy of our cities and towns.
“Ireland still has the earliest closing times in Europe, Ireland still has some of the highest insurance premiums in Europe. These are what prevent the growth of our artistic scene and nighttime economy, not a simple lack of raw cash.
“Any extra attention paid to the arts and music culture is to be welcomed, but unless we tackle the long-standing problems restricting the industry, extra grant funding will only ever be a halfway measure.”