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AS RESTRICTIONS ON events and live performances ease from today, musicians and entertainers are already seeing an uptick in demand, but those working in the industry have warned they will need support as they try to relaunch after a year-and-a-half shutdown.
Last Tuesday Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed details of the next phase of reopening society, announcing that from today organised indoor events and mass gatherings will be permitted with up to 60% capacity for people who are vaccinated or who have recovered from Covid in the last six months.
Outdoor events can proceed with up to 75% capacity for vaccinated or recovered attendees and outdoor events with audiences that have mixed immunity status can go ahead with up to 50% capacity.
Audiences will still have to be fully seated at live events, including music, drama and sporting events.
While the 100-person guest limit on attendance at wedding receptions will be unchanged, restrictions on live music and dancing at these events have now been lifted.
The Taoiseach also gave the industry a date for its full reopening; from 22 October all remaining restrictions on events, live music and for the hospitality sector will lift, including the return of club nights.
The announcement has given a pandemic-weary sector a boost, Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland (MEAI) spokesperson, Matt McGranaghan told TheJournal.
He said the industry was pleasantly surprised at the early date for indoor events and live music.
“It’s a major step, we were expecting maybe it would be the 13th or 20th of September so the fact that it was the 6th is great. For musicians who normally play in pubs – and that is a career, I always have to repeat that this is their career and their profession – they are now getting bookings and phonecalls. It may be a slow start, but it’s a start.”
McGranaghan said the return of live music to weddings was also welcome news as “a lot of employment depends on it”.
The fact that you can now have 60% capacity at theatres is also a huge step forward. I have to stress that the industry is not fully reopened until we’re at 100%, but to look at the positives I think the 60% will help ease audiences back in and get them confident with going back into a theatre or venue, rather than going straight in at 100% capacity, into a crowd. So they’ll experience that over the six or seven weeks and then once we get past 22 October that will boost the industry from then.
For pubs, there was disappointment at the government’s decision not to lift the 11.30pm curfew and to limit dancefloors to weddings, as patrons at bars still have to remain seated at their tables.
Colin Perkins, Head of Booking and Marketing for Pygmalian bar, club and restaurant in Dublin said the changes kicking in today will make “no difference for our business”.
The venue has, however, been planning the return of weekly events in the club as well as larger events in the adjoining Powerscourt Townhouse with “strong line ups of upcoming Irish talent alongside international DJ’s and producers”.
He said solutions will be introduced for extra ventilation to create a safer environment for customers.
Following the government announcement the venue shared details of a ‘special Halloween reopening party’ on 24 October, two days after the majority of restrictions lift and club nights will again be permitted.
Perkins said the industry will need further supports as restrictions are eased and called for an end to the requirement for special exemption orders, which cost businesses €400 per night and permit the sale and consumption of alcohol on a premises beyond normal trading hours.
He said the introduction of a nightclub license would also allow more flexible opening hours and “will give a sector that has been decimated some chance of survival”.
For artists and performers, there has already been increased interest since the announcement, Garvan Rigby, director of Star DJs told The Journal.
“Things have certainly picked up. Most weddings as this stage are still for 2022 onwards and they’ve had things planned well in advance, but there have been lots of last minute enquiries for this month and next month from people who weren’t planning to have entertainment at their wedding because they couldn’t, and who now want it,” he said.
People are eager to get back out there again, people are dying to dance and I think people value more than ever having a DJ because they’ve seen what it’s like without one, not being able to dance, not being able to have proper entertainment.
I certainly see an uplift in what people in our sector could potentially earn, but it’ll take a long time to get there – I’d say we’re still looking at next year or maybe Christmas before we see it properly picking up.”
He said some venues are still trying to navigate the new rules and guidelines and his own business is tied into multiple sectors all operating on different guidance.
“We’re across three different industries – live events, weddings and bars and clubs and, for example, in a hotel you have a bar, you also have a function room that could have a wedding in and in the next room there’s a 30th birthday party and there may be differences in how they’re all managed, so we’re waiting to get a bit more clarity on that.”
Rigby said it will be vital in the coming months for the government to provide supports to the sector as businesses like his are “building back up from scratch”.
“People have moved on, staff have moved on, venues have changed, some will never reopen, DJs have moved on and retrained. As a society we’ve lost talented people in the creative sector, there’s no doubt about it. Where venues have changed ownership or management it’s like starting at square one, you have potential leads, but it’s still like launching a new business.”
Social welfare supports
MEAI spokesperson Matt McGranaghan said the government should acknowledge that workers in this sector will not instantly return to full employment and social welfare supports should reflect that.
The Pandemic Unemployment Payment rates are to be cut from tomorrow by €50 and those receiving the lower rate will be moved onto jobseekers’ allowance from the end of this month.
“The PUP is to be cut this week and what’s more worrying than that is the transition from PUP to jobseeker’s [allowance],” he said. “If that happens people will be classified as unemployed and that prevents them from engaging in self-employed work, that just doesn’t work for this sector.”
He said this will prevent workers in the industry, many of whom are self employed, from participating in the reopening as they may only be offered sporadic work until demand picks up. Until now self-employed people in receipt of the PUP have been able to earn up to €960 over eight weeks and still keep their social welfare payment.
“We’ve moved past the busy summer period now, autumn is usually a quiet period for the industry, then you’ll have Christmas but in January and February it’s quiet again so I think the government has to recognise that,” he said.
We need an individual support that finds the balance between employment opportunities and support – as employment goes up, support goes down. I think from my dealings with the Department of Social Protection and with culture as well they are working on trying to find a solution.
The association has also launched a campaign, encouraging venues not to take advantage or performers and to pay them a fair price for their work, despite capacity limits.
“We want this to be a positive campaign,” McGranaghan said. “We’re hoping to see musicians and artists and workers and fans of music as well as the venues getting behind it and support people as they get back to work.”
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He needs to be replaced with a judge who will refuse to use the words “suspended sentence” and learn the words “life imprisonment”.
Same goes for his liberal colleagues.
H.S.B.C. 350 ?
I agree the Wayne O’Donoghue case was a particularly lenient sentence for a child killer – especially considering his actions after he killed young Robert. However Wayne seems to be enjoying his new life now in the UK so that’s a happy ending (not).
“Carney’s decision in 2006 to hand Wayne O’Donoghue a four-year sentence for killing his 11-year-old neighbour Robert Holohan was upheld by the Court of Criminal Appeal following an appeal for ‘undue leniency’ from the DPP.
In its 33-page judgement, the three-judge court said Carney’s ruling had been the correct one.
Prior to imposing that sentence, following a verdict of manslaughter, the judge had warned the victim’s mother to prepare herself – saying the sentence he would be imposing would be upsetting for her, before explaining the reasoning behind his decision.”
Judges need to be re educated. And get with the real word. From their privileged position and privileged past.they seem to live in a different world then the rest of us .
Judges also need to be replaced from time to time. There’s still no sign that an apolitical appointments process has been put in place.
“Ken Murphy, Director General of the Law Society of Ireland, said he was “one of Ireland’s’ greatest ever criminal judges”.
“He did society’s dirty work,” Murphy added.”
For 24 Years!
Despite my original comment above, I wholeheartedly agree with Ken Murphy.
IMO, he was as inept as a one legged man in an ass kicking contest. The entire judicial system in this country needs to be overhauled and brought into the 21st century. I know some of this may need referendums, well if that’s the case do it, stop putting the criminal first and the victim second.
A judge that would jail the person for not paying their bills but suspended sentence for the real criminals
The article focussed on the issues of controversy in the long career of a man who dealt with some of the worst crimes in the history of the State and with a cohort of vicious criminals. It did not focus on the many routine decisions made by the Judge. Any Judge dealing with the complex criminal cases this man dealt will inevitably attract criticism. Strangely the article focuses on appeals where his sentences were increased and not on the cases where his sentences were actually reduced on appeal; a source of public complaint by this Judge and a reason, ironically, why some of his sentences were subsequently perceived as lenient by the Appeals Court. This is how our judicial system works in common law countries with Appeal Courts often establishing the guidelines for sentencing. There is too much ignorant populist commentary on the Journal about Judges from people who clearly haven’t a clue how any judicial system works and don’t actually have any facts beyond newspaper headlines at their disposal. This man dealt with cases and sat though evidence which would most of us in prolonged psychotherapy. He deserves praise and not the ignorant criticism he is attracting from “the usual suspects”.
Agreed, to dedicate his working life to considering the details of the most savage acts to be committed in the state is indeed to do the state a great service. He could have simply lined his pockets and become a developer. Hope he enjoys his retirement.
Very well said.
He should take the judge, that sent the woman by taxi, from Donegal to Mountjoy, for not having a TV licence, with him.
The judge had nothing to do with the taxi
The judge should be informed enough to know that it would happen – that is the point !
Wasting tax-payers money while feeding from the same pot and all that !
Judges will become figures of ridicule when certain insider information is revealed within the coming weeks !
I was actually a juror on a murder trial Justice Carney presided over. He seemed fair and professional. I did, though, love his summing up where, as the defendant scowled in the dock, he reminded us that just because the defendant was an unpleasant, even despicable, person, it was not a basis for conviction of murder.
Was he found guilty?
Never knew there were so many legal experts on the Journal. The usual Journal commenters. Opinions on everything and answers to nothing.
I see no answers here either, just your opinion.
We’re all guilty.
The ultimate legislators in the State are the citizens – through the ballot – you should understand this Alan !
I’ve an answer. Stop giving out suspended sentences. You don’t need to be a legal expert to read the papers.
Judging by some of his judgement’s which is difficult to do because there may be thing’s he know’s and we don’t at the time ,he was pretty well off the wall with some of his decisions
Judge fudge
He was complete out of touch with the wishes of the people he was supposed to serve and protect. Good riddance.
Off course he made mistakes but thats part of the human condition. Let the man rest in peace.
-When anyone decides upon a career in the legal profession they must accept that in exchange for their 200k + salary and pension , prestige, security , short working hours and long holidays that there are some disadvantages.
-One such disadvantage is that they may have to listen and make judgement on some horrific cases.
-Another disadvantage is that they have a huge responsibility to dispense justice.
-another disadvantage is that they are in the public eye. If they consistently made bad judgements then the public will be outraged.
-Anther disadvantage is that if their peers and friends try to paint a picture of a great legacy of professionalism then just maybe some of the public will be outraged again.
-I don’t wish to dance on the man’s grave. If there is a maker up there then i expect he/she is judging him now not just for some good work but also for those outrageous decisions where he allowed rapists to walk free. A purgatorial sentence would be a fair judgement imo with no suspended sentence and no 100 euro bail.
Mistakes that had a huge impact on people (victims and their familys lives.) !
If Wayne O’Donoghue went through a proper justice system with a competent Judge he’d be in a small grey cell somewhere now in my opinion. Carney was born and died an utter idiot, I never read of court proceedings he had a bizarre hand in without feeling shock and dismay – this passing is no loss to Irish Society…..
a three judge court ruled that it was a correct one .
For those eager to pile on to Carney on the basis of the couple of worst decisions he’s made, this article from a couple of years ago probably gives a better, rounder picture of his achievements and faults over a quarter century on the bench.
A judge is supposed dish out justice every time presides. His bad decisions have ruined lives.
A judge is simply a banker for the court corporation.
He wasn’t exactly a ‘hanging judge’. Let’s hope his replacement has a pair! I note there was no mention of him criticising Joe Duffy when callers to the live line criticised his sentencing of O’Donoghue!
Good riddance
A Woman’s Worth …. reporting and sentencing of violent crimes against women.
Judge Paul Carney RIP was also the Patron of VSAC…..victim support at court. This is an organisation run in the main by volunteers….and these volunteers give support to victims of crime during their time in court. Wonderful organisation much needed and appreciated by Victims of crime.Judge Paul Carney called these volunteers an empathetic benevolent group of people.We were at his funeral Mass today.RIP Judge you’ll be very missed.
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