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Actors' Union: No-deal Brexit would be catastrophic

Karan O'Loughlin from Irish Equity at the seminar in Belfast addressing Brexit challenges for the media, arts and entertainment industry. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Karan O'Loughlin from Irish Equity at the seminar in Belfast addressing Brexit challenges for the media, arts and entertainment industry. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire Karan O'Loughlin from Irish Equity at the seminar in Belfast addressing Brexit challenges for the media, arts and entertainment industry. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire

A no-deal Brexit would be devastating for the theatre industry in Northern Ireland and the Republic, an actors' union said.

Their members rely on the open Irish border and often collaborate on productions across both parts of the island.

Karan O'Loughlin, from the Irish Equity union, said: "A no-deal Brexit would be absolutely catastrophic for people.

"No-deal means restrictions on travel and freedom to work, it reduces diversity in work and creates funding difficulties for co-productions, and reduces the capacity for people to work and create."

A seminar organised by acting unions in the UK and Ireland was held at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast today.

Neil Murray, director of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, was among those attending the seminar. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Neil Murray, director of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, was among those attending the seminar. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire Neil Murray, director of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, was among those attending the seminar. Picture by Brian Lawless/PA Wire

Ms O'Loughlin added: "Our message to the decision makers is, really, to focus.

"We are in this situation now and it needs to improve, it is not good enough to hang around having slagging matches with each other and it is really not good enough that the devolved administration in Northern Ireland has abandoned the people in Northern Ireland at this critical point in history.

"I think that is incredibly poor and irresponsible of the British Government to keep this ongoing farcical situation where everybody lives with uncertainty.

"Uncertainty is as bad as a bad Brexit."