July 23, 2024
As Media & Tourism spokesperson, I will stand up for workers and quality services – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD

Dublin South Central TD, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, has welcomed his appointment by Uachtarán Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald TD as Sinn Féin spokesperson for Tourism and Media (taking over from Imelda Munster TD) along with his existing role as spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht, Arts and Culture.

The new spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht, Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Media said:

“I would like to begin by thanking Teachta Munster for her Trojan work in recent years, helping to fight for the recovery of our vital tourism and hospitality sectors through the pandemic, and being the leading voice in the Dáil holding RTÉ and Minister Catherine Martin to account over recent scandals.

“My priorities in media and tourism will be to stand up for workers and demand high quality services for the public, while my central task will remain to further Sinn Féin’s work putting our national language and the needs of our artists to the fore.

“In terms of accountability at RTÉ, I wrote the Bill to provide Comptroller and Auditor General oversight and was heavily involved in Committee and Report Stage debate on the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 as well as continually demanding equal pay for equal work at Raidió na Gaeltachta.

“Government appears set to ignore the advice of the Future of Media Commission to abolish the licence fee. I will continue making Sinn Féin’s case for sustainable direct exchequer funding for RTÉ and for adequate funding for our other national public service broadcaster, TG4.

“I will also be making the case for an All-Ireland approach in terms of both public service broadcasting and how we market and plan for our tourism sector, working in tandem with my Sinn Féin colleagues in Stormont.

“The Microsoft outage last week which left flights grounded and tourists stranded globally demonstrated the vulnerability of our tourism sector to external risks. Building resilience in tourism after Covid-19 is vital to safeguard our economy, and that involves tackling the accommodation crisis.

“The boom in short-term lets and AirBnBs has left workers and families unable to find homes in which to live, an issue brought to the fore by the group Bánú in Gaeltacht areas. Without vibrant communities, tourists have no reason to visit but the land itself.

“We see an oversaturation of hotels in parts of Dublin alongside a shortage of tourist beds in smaller towns and rural areas which has a knock-on impact on the ability of cafés, restaurants, pubs, activity providers and small businesses to survive. The government’s failed approach to housing international protection applicants in local hotels has taken no account of its impact on local economies.

“Responding to these challenges requires strong leadership, and while I acknowledge Minister Catherine Martin’s good work for the arts, she has been a negligent and at times absentee Minister when it comes to media, tourism, and other responsibilities. I promise to work for all.”

Mar urlabhraí Meán & Turasóireachta, seasfaidh mé ar son oibrithe agus seirbhísí ardchaigheán – Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Chuir Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, as Baile Átha Cliath Lár Theas, fáilte roimh a cheapacháin ag Uachtarán Shinn Féin Mary Lou McDonald TD mar urlabhraí Shinn Féin don Turasóireacht agus na Meáin (i gcomharbacht ar Imelda Munster TD) anuas ar an ról reatha atá aige mar urlabhraí Gaeilge, Gaeltachta, Ealaíon agus Cultúir.

Dúirt an t-urlabhraí nua Gaeilge, Gaeltachta, Ealaíon, Cultúir, Turasóireachta agus Meán:

“Ba mhaith liom tosú ag gabháil buíochas leis an Teachta Munster as obair na gcapall a dhéanamh thar na blianta, ag cabhrú ag troid ar son athchóiriú sna hearnálacha ríthábhachtacha turasóireachta agus fáilte tríd an phaindéim, agus mar an guth is láidre sa Dáil ag tabhairt RTÉ agus an tAire Catherine Martin chun cuntais maidir leis na scannail le déanaí.

“Tabharfaidh mé tús áite sna meáin agus sa turasóireacht do bheith ag seasamh suas ar son oibrithe agus ag éileamh seirbhísí ar ardchaighdeán don phobal, fad is a bheidh mé dírithe go fóill ar na clocha is mó ar mo phaidrín, obair Shinn Féin a chur chun cinn ag cur ár dteanga náisiúnta agus riachtanais ár n-ealaíontóirí chun tosaigh.

“Ó thaobh cuntasaíocht in RTÉ, mise a scríobh an Bille chun maoirsiú an Ard Reachtaire Cuntais agus Ciste a chinntiú agus bhí mé lárnach sa díospóireacht ag Céim an Choiste agus Tuarascála maidir leis an Acht um Rialáil Sábháilteachta ar Líne agus na Meán 2022, chomh maith le bheith ag éileamh go leanúnach go dtabharfar an pá céanna don obair céanna i Raidió na Gaeltachta.

“Tá cuma ar an scéal go bhfuil an Rialtas ar tí neamhaird a dhéanamh ar chomhairle an Choimisiún um Thodhchaí na Meán fáil réidh leis an dtáille cheadúnais. Leanfaidh mise ag brú fís Shinn Féin don maoiniú inbhuanaithe díreach ón státchiste do RTÉ agus maoiniú cuí dár gcraoltóir náisiúnta eile seirbhíse poiblí, TG4.

“Beidh mé ag brú freisin go nglactar le cur chuige uile-Éireann maidir le craoltóireacht seirbhíse poiblí agus conas a dhéanann muid margaíocht agus pleanáil don earnáil turasóireachta, ag obair go dlúth le mo chomhghleacaithe Sinn Féin i gCnoc Anfa.

“Léirigh éaradh Seirbhíse Microsoft an tseachtain seo caite, a d’fhág eitiltí ar an talamh agus turasóirí sáinnithe ar fud an domhain, cé chomh leochaileach is atá ár earnáil turasóireachta do rioscaí seachtracha. Tá sé riachtanach seasmhacht a chruthú sa turasóireacht tar éis Cóivid-19 ar mhaithe lenár ngeilleagar a chosaint, agus ní mór dúinn dul i ngleic leis an ngéarchéim lóistín mar chuid den obair sin.

“Toisc an borradh in áiteanna ar cíos gearrthéarmach agus AirBnBanna, níl oibrithe agus teaghlaigh in ann teach a fháil chun cónaí ann, cás tarraingthe chun solais ag an ngrúpa Bánú i gceantair Gaeltachta. Gan pobail bríomhaire, níl faic le feiceáil ag turasóirí ach an talamh féin.

“Tá rósháithiú le feiceáil i gcás óstáin i gceantracha in Átha Cliath taobh le ganntanas leabaí turasóireachta i mbailte beaga agus ceantair tuaithe, rud a chuireann isteach ar chumas caiféanna, bialanna, tithe tabhairne, soláthraí gníomhaíochta agus gnónna beaga maireachtail. Ní dhéanann cur chuige an riatlais atá teipithe air maidir le iarrthóirí cosaint idirnáisiúnta a lonnú in óstáil áitiúil na himpleachtaí seo ar gheilleagair áitiúla a thabhairt san áireamh ach oiread.

“Teastaíonn ceannaireacht láidir chun dul i ngleic leis na dúshláin seo, agus cé go n-aithním obair maith déanta ag an Aire Catherine Martin sna healaíona, tá cliú uirthi mar Aire faillitheach agus uaireanta neamhláithreach i gcás na meáin, an turasóireacht, agus dualgais eile. Geallaim obair ar son cách.”

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