Coveney: People 'won't have to wait much longer' for certainty on live events reopening

The minister says he empathises with workers in arts and culture

Lord Mayor of Cork Colm Kelleher, Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney, and Ambassador of France to Ireland Vincent Guérend at the announcement, at the River Lee Hotel, of the Cork French Film Festival. Picture: Brian Lougheed

The roadmap for reopening that people working in the live events sector desperately crave should be ready "within the next week or so, or before the end of the month", Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has said.

The Government recognises the "intense frustration" of people working in the live events sector, he said, as anger grows from industry figures who claim they have been badly let down with no path yet outlined as to when they can get going.

Speaking in Cork as he met the French ambassador Vincent Guérend ahead of the 32nd Cork French Film Festival, Mr Coveney said he could "of course, empathise with" workers in arts and culture.

"It’s been devastating for musicians, performers, live venues," said Mr Coveney. "For many, many months now, they’ve simply been unable to work. 

"For many people who enjoy live venues, in terms of how society functions and interacts and socialises and so on, the absence of live performance has really been missed, I think. 

As a Government, we are really anxious to get back to facilitating live performance again. 

"I know what is being asked for here, which is simply certainty and a timeline. 

"No one is being unreasonable here. I think we will be able to provide that certainty and timeline within the next week or so, before the end of the month," he said.

The roadmap would be a clear picture for September and into the winter, he said.

"That is a commitment that the Taoiseach has made, that I have made, that other Government ministers have made.

"We are very conscious that we need to provide a clear roadmap into September and beyond that is, of course, consistent with public health advice but also recognises the intense frustration that many people in this sector are currently living with. 

"I think people won’t have to wait much longer to get that certainty."