'We can, at last, go back to doing what we do well': Entertainment sector given roadmap for reopening

TAOISEACH Micheál Martin yesterday confirmed plans for the next phase of Ireland’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Under the new guidance, a range of remaining restrictions will be gradually eased during September, with a view to achieving a significant change in approach towards the end of October.

From September 6, there will be an easing of restrictions on organised indoor and outdoor events and mass gatherings.

From that date, theatre, music and live events can take place for vaccinated people at 60% capacity indoors and 75% capacity outdoors.

The easing of restrictions for both indoor and outdoor events has been welcomed by Cork Opera House CEO, Eibhlín Gleeson.

“We join our colleagues across the Irish arts and entertainment sector in welcoming the easing of restrictions for both indoor and outdoor events and look forward to welcoming more of our patrons back to Cork Opera House,” she said.

“We have news on a number of fantastic shows between now and Christmas to share and also some rescheduled shows that people have waited patiently for.

“We look forward to bringing the Opera House fully back to life after such a difficult period."

CEO of The Everyman, Seán Kelly said The Everyman has been working towards a safe reopening for many, many months and are “extremely confident in the robust plans” they have put in place.

“We are dependent on box office for over 90% of our income so we are very much looking forward to opening our doors to audiences once again.”

Patrick Talbot, producer of PHILADELPHIA, HERE I COME! by Brian Friel “wholeheartedly” welcomed the plans to ease restrictions in theatres.

“Covid brought our industry to its knees for over 18 months. Now we have an opportunity to get back to what we do and to do what we have desperately wanted to do for so long,” he said.

“I believe that audiences will also welcome this news. We have all been starved of live theatre and the opportunity to go back to shows will in itself be a huge indicator that a return to full normality is within our grasp at long last.”

While there will be no change to the current limits of 100 wedding guests during September, live music at weddings will be permitted from September 6.

Michael Magner, who owns the Vienna Woods Hotel in Glanmire, described the ability for couples to have live music on their big day as “fantastic news”.

“Fantastic news for the live music and entertainment industry. Fantastic news for hotels but probably most of all, fantastic news for couples and their guests.

“Every day we move away from March 2020 into the future, there’s positivity.” 

Mr Magner described the announcement as welcome, however, he said supports will still be required for the sector into next year.

“While the government’s supports thus far have been very welcomed and appreciated and have kept people in jobs and employment, supports definitely will be required well into 2022,” he said.

“Looking around and talking to industry colleagues, while the summer season has been very good, there are concerns going into the winter that the demand for hotels is soft as schools return and people end their holidays.”

The Restaurant Association of Ireland has cautiously welcomed the Government’s latest announcement regarding the entitled “Reframing the Challenge, Continuing Our Recovery and Reconnecting” plan.

Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland Adrian Cummins said the announcement “goes a long way in terms of outlining a roadmap for the restaurant and hospitality sector with the provision of key dates, metrics and targets”.

However, he said work must be done regarding business supports for an industry that has been “economically flattened since March 2020”.

Following on from the first phase on September 6, on September 20, there will be an easing of restrictions on organised indoor group activities such as sports, arts, and dance classes.

Attendance at work for specific business requirements may commence on a phased and staggered attendance basis also.

The return of indoor activities will be a cause for celebration for Cork’s performing arts sector though some had hoped for an earlier date.

Speaking on the latest announcement, Director of Montfort College of Performing Arts, Trevor Ryan said it will be a welcome return for many.

“I think we will all be quite emotional and overwhelmed that we can, at last, go back to doing what we do well.” 

The school had been opened for a total of three weeks since March 2020 and they will be looking forward to picking up from where they left off.

“There’s a lot of students who would have been training with us and I know with a number of different schools...who would have been looking to do this at third level and have lost out on 18 months of training.” 

However, with their return now confirmed, Mr Ryan said it is going to be “celebration time” for the next couple of weeks.

“It certainly will all be about reconnecting and about fun for the next couple of weeks.

“Just getting the kids back in the door again and having some fun and seeing the smiles through the mask if we can.” 

The announcement was also welcomed by Lucy French of Lucy French School of Dance, though, Ms French stressed that she would have liked to have seen an earlier return permitted.

“I think we will all just breathe a huge sigh of relief when they finally do let us back and fully. I just don’t understand why it has taken so long,” she said.

She said many schools had been preparing for a return next week.

“We’re just completely undervalued by the Government,” she said.

“We’ve basically been lumped in with everyone. I mean, everyone is going back to work on the 20th. We have not been given any consideration for what we do for children’s mental and physical health, never mind the ones who want to take it seriously.” 

She added: “Indoor activities do need to be allowed back but they need to be allowed back next week.” 

In announcing the new measures, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is “under no illusions about how personally difficult it has been for so many people, young and old, to have had to curtail their artistic, cultural and sporting lives for so long”.

On October 22, it is hoped that additional restrictions will be lifted, including the requirements for physical distancing and for mask-wearing outdoors and in indoor private settings.

The date would also see limits on numbers at indoor and outdoor events and activities lifted along with limits on numbers that can meet in private homes or gardens.

Certification of vaccination, immunity or testing as a prerequisite for access to, or engagement in, any activities or events would also no longer be required, with exception of international travel.

Restrictions on high-risk activities such as nightclubs may also be eased.

As of Tuesday morning, close to 90% of all citizens over the age of 18 have been fully vaccinated.

Addressing the nation on Tuesday evening, Micheál Martin commended the Covid-19 vaccine rollout which he said has been on a scale “that has never been seen before”.

“As I have said throughout this journey, a successful National Vaccination Programme changes the dynamic, utterly,” he said.

“Because of the effort of our vaccination team and because you have stepped up to the mark and taken the vaccine when it was offered, we are now entering a whole new phase of the pandemic.” 

While we are “very unlikely to ever be able to be rid of the virus completely”, with an increase in case numbers expected over the coming weeks, Mr Martin said the combined strategy of careful reopening and energetic vaccination has brought us to a point where we can begin to do things differently.

As we move into this new phase, he said it “will be a time of anticipation and relief" for many and particularly those in the arts and entertainment sectors.

He noted the grief caused by the pandemic which will take a long time to come to terms with.

“As a country, we will find the right way to memorialise those who we have lost to this terrible virus, and we look forward to engaging with all of you, the Irish public, in this endeavour,” he said.

“Today though, we are taking an important and very welcome step forward.”