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SINN FÉIN IS to launch the party’s new policy for the arts sector next week, with some of the key ideas in the document to include a bursary scheme for journalists, recognising fashion design as an art form, tackling rip-off ticket prices and exploring tax relief for theatres.
The plan, seen by The Journal, also includes a pledge to devise a strategy for the gaming and virtual reality sector, a re-activation of the policy that 1% of public infrastructure funding go towards the arts, as well as opening up new art spaces for artists and performers.
In terms of RTÉ funding, under a Sinn Féín-led government, the party would abolish the “regressive licence fee with immediate effect”, instead providing public funding for RTÉ entirely from the Exchequer.
A multi-annual allocation would be provided from a Media Fund for all public service media, which the party says would give RTÉ and producers more funding certainty and an ability to plan.
The party also wants to end geo-blocking, stating that Sinn Féin opposes the “continued deliberate exclusion of six county audiences from programming, from online player content, from audience competitions, and in some cases from graphic representations of Ireland”.
In addition, the party wants to hear more Irish music on radio, with Sinn Féin committing to defining in law what counts as ‘Irish music’ in order to facilitate increased airtime on radio and representation in film.
“We will work with radio stations and film producers with a view to increasing the visibility of Irish music and music in the Irish language, including exploring options for minimum airtime requirements on radio and including the use of Irish compositions as a new ground for obtaining the cultural certificate required for Section 481 film tax relief.
“We would also examine how to address the power imbalance within the music industry by examining how the audiovisual services levy provided for in law could be adjusted for music streaming services to fund opportunities for Irish musicians and radio content showcasing Irish talent.
“We would also establish the long-awaited dedicated Irish language youth radio station,” states the document.
The party also wants to open up access and showcase the State Art Collection nationwide.
The state’s visual art collection is divided between different state agencies and cultural institutions, but Sinn Féin commits to working with these institutions and reviewing the management of the collection with a view to expanding public access.
Repatriation of artefacts is also a priority, with the party stating that Sinn Féin would place Ireland firmly within the camp of nations seeking restoration of artistic heritage, by requiring Ireland’s State-funded museums and galleries to cooperate with requests from other states for the repatriation of art and artefacts. It would also oblige our Culture Minister to demand that foreign institutions and governments return heritage stolen or unjustly taken from Ireland.
The document also includes plans to enact the Public Art Mural Bill which would exempt certain categories of public art murals from planning permission where such work has artistic or cultural merit.
The plan was drafted by the party’s arts spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh after Sinn Féín carried out a survey of over 1,100 artists, which found that a large cohort of the arts community in Ireland were considering emigration.
The policy also plans to tackle rip-off ticket prices, something Fianna Fáil senators have also put forward this week.
On Friday, the consumer watchdog launched an investigation into Ticketmaster and the company’s handling of the sale of Oasis tickets last weekend.
Sinn Féin states that a major barrier to audiences engaging with the performing arts in Ireland is the cost of tickets, adding that legislation intended to put a stop to ticket touting in 2021 has not yet led to prosecutions.
Sinn Féin said it will examine ways to better enforce existing anti-tout legislation, to bring dynamic pricing under control, and to develop a platform to distribute tickets so that no seat is left empty.
The arts survey carried out by the party identified that almost three quarters of respondents were unsatisfied with the local arts facilities and spaces in their area. It noted the threat private developers pose to established hubs for culture, from pubs like The Cobblestone to the temporary homes of struggling arts companies.
The plan states that it will empower local authorities to protect existing centres of intangible cultural heritage in planning law, and examining measures for making space for art in development plans and using minimum visual art requirements for the public realm.
Sinn Féin proposes to develop a dedicated Arts Spaces Capital Programme to build and redevelop arts workspaces and venues across the state.
There’s also a plan to reform the 45-year-old Per Cent for Art scheme which allows for the public funding of works of art.
In terms of tax relief, Sinn Féin states that it would explore how a dedicated tax relief could support live theatre, “which could usher in a new renaissance for Irish theatre”.
Along with recognising fashion design as an official art form, the party states that it is “fundamentally unfair” that stand-up, sketch, and improv comedy are explicitly excluded from Arts Council funding.
Ó Snodaigh states his Arts (Recognition of Comedy) (Amendment) Bill 2024 would stop comedians losing out from funding and resources by explicitly including comedy in the Arts Act 2003. The party also plans to ensure musical theatre will be recognised as a distinct artform.
Another idea of note in the document, the party pledges to “invest” in journalism, with the plan stating that “fostering a thriving and high-quality journalism sector is vital to securing a healthy democracy as well as for providing Irish writers with work opportunities to sustain their livelihoods and help hone their skills”.
In recent times the party has been criticised for the number of legal actions taken against media outlets, with Tánaiste Micheál Martin stating that Sinn Féin’s actions could have “a chilling effect” on media and journalists.
The Sinn Féin policy states that, if in government, it would establish a journalism bursary for local and community media in every county and provide increased funding to TG4 to develop quality journalism and current affairs in the Irish language.
The party has also been accused of flip-flopping on hate speech legislation over the last number of months. In the arts document, the party states that it wants to “protect freedom of expression”, stating:
“Ireland’s reputation as home to some of the world’s greatest writers stands in contrast to the hostility shown by the 26-County state for most of its history towards many of our greatest writers, free-thinkers, socialists, and republicans, including Sinn Féin as recently as 1994, through censorship and social ostracisation that saw many leave our shores.”
The document also pledges that Sinn Féin “will stand up for freedom of expression against attacks by government or by the far-right, which stifle the freedom of both writers and readers.”
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A captive portal that requires a code that lasts only 30 mins, get a code with every cup of coffee (or whatever) bought. Problem solved.
Or just use the Wi-Fi hot spot on your phone.
I never go to cafes in ireland unless I am getting a coffee to go. They are overcrowded and people don’t seem to respect personal space.
One way to stop it. 30 minutes free internet with every purchase. You will find the code on the receipt. That’s what I would do if I ran a coffee shop. The spongers can go sponge someplace else.
Dear jaysus let’s hope so, we are turning into a nation of zombies. Ironic that I post this using my phone all the same
Monty..It would only be ironic if you were using that phone in Starbucks after sitting there all day..
I know this is going off on a tangent here, but reckon 3G / Wifi signals should be blocked in some cases in public places!! The pub scene is ruined with groups of people, heads down staring into phones!?! The chat n banter will be a thing of the past in the pub at this rate!
Me & 3 mates waiting 20mins for seating in Star-B’s last week.
Finally got one tiny high stool spot.
We Had 2 coffees each & chat.
We were In & gone within 45 mins.
Crammed into one tiny spot.
Entire time this guy was sprawled out at comfy 6 seater on his tod with an empty coffee cup. His head stuck in a lap top which was plugged in..
Daft isn’t it. I’d have sat beside the sponge.
Maybe the church should embrace wifi, might fill up the place more :)
That was me!
I was in Belfast a few weeks back and more people outside a Starbucks on phones than people sitting in the shop. Obviously using the free internet. The owner pulled the plug on the modem they all walked off.
Turn it off in all pubs!! Talk to each other!!!
Ahh relax the kaks!
I agree with mick it’ll ruin the craic in pubs if everyone inside is logged on.
Sorry , Mike
I’ll admit I once sat outside the Maldron hotel in Smithfield for 2 hours to rob their wifi when I Locked my self out!!
All you can eat data for me. Hate to be smug about it, but aside from holidays abroad, it makes no difference if a place has WiFi or not.
30 minutes per purchase seems a fair approach to deter the wifi spongers in taking up valuable seating space. There’s a lot to be said for interacting with people around you as opposed to getting lost in the virtual world of social networking. I type this while alone just home from watching the hurling double header in my local, for those wannabe troll naysayers. :)
‘a market niche for not having wi fi’, is there no end to corporate greed?
No
Feck it. I have a 4g connection with an ‘unlimited’ (15gb) plan.
I have no need for their slow, insecure wifi.
Have to turn it off going into some places now.
It must be scary being old
It is Reagan.
Turn it off on trains and look out the widow.. :-/
.. at the graffiti and rusty shopping trolleys?
Leave the widows alone. They’ve been through enough.
Ah feck off. Should people not read books or magazines on trains too? Should we just look out the window for the whole journey?
Would ya ever go away and done be annoying me.
Even when it’s dark outside?
Great Idea!
Look! This is a load of tosh…cafe’s can easily monitor overuse by insisting the customer buy’s more product.
Any A-Hole hogging the wi-fi for hours on end should be shown the door…
I refuse to use a place if it doesn’t have wifi. Recently complained to Costa about it…. logged in to check whether the person I was meeting was on the way…. grabbed a coffee (waited in line) there was only 10 mins left on the timer when I got back. Ffs.
I get it about ppl hogging seats…. but they used to do that b4 wifi… sitting around a cold cup of coffee for ages. That’s not new.
If you don’t offer the service in this day and age then you don’t get my business.
Why didn’t you just ring the person, or text them?
Because that person might be driving, for example.
What ever happened to the Dublin Free WiFi? Never works…
Pointless pointless waffle, if businesses are trying to increase customer volumes they are really scraping from the end of the barrel with this angle
Wifi is free in most public libraries – for as long as you want!
How would the girls get in touch with me Tinder??
People have WiFi at home and most likely a data plan on their smart device. So…. Coffee shops are for coffee and maybe even shock, horror,- talking to someone?
Wifi is a basic right.
There are cafés here that have free wifi?
In all fairness, most public wifi spots are so slow you are better off using your own phone’s 3g. If you have 4G there is no competition or point on using a public wifi spot unless you have reached a data limit or so.
I think that public laptop users in Ireland may have a higher regard for manners. I am one of the owners of August First the cafe described in your article. We always felt that if lap top users had a sense of manners it would never have been a problem. Once they see people coming in and wanting a table to eat at, they should know that it’s time to leave. But I watched over and over again as people would come in and leave because there were no open tables while several tables had zombies staring at screens. Even though we would only have 2 or 3 at a time, it had an effect on the overall culture of the place. Our biggest surprise was how much the culture of the space improved when there were no longer any screens. A very happy change!
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