The well-known artist and podcaster, Blindboy, has strongly criticised the government's support for the arts sector in light of Covid-19.
He told RTÉ's News at One: "It was as if they didn't speak or listen to any actual artists." Describing the response as "terrible", Blindboy said: "It's not just writers and performers who are affected.
It's people working as sound engineers on live events, on lights, stage managers, actors; the entire creative community is out of work. "The response tells me that the government does not view art as a true vocation." Blindboy said he has suffered a huge financial loss as a result of Covid-19. "I was in the middle of a UK tour, and I had to postpone a sold-out gig in London.