A musician says the COVID-19 crisis means six months of work have been "completely lost" for his band and other live performers.

Paddy Cullivan from The Camembert Quartet spoke to Newstalk Breakfast this morning, saying the situation is "not good at all", and that Government supports need to continue while restrictions remain in place.

He said the "whole gamut" of their work - from corporate work to weddings to bars - has been impacted.

   

He said: "From March to September, there's been six months of work completely lost.

"We work six months to a year in advance - every gig we've had has been postponed by six months or a year. Effectively, right up until the end of the year, we've an awful lot of work gone - that's the situation for musicians.

"When the new normal comes back, it's not normal for the music world - which is about 20,000 musicians who play live in this country."

Paddy said live music is effectively "anti social-distancing" as it's about bringing people together and getting them dance - "packing them in, as they say".

He also said initial guidelines that there was to be no live music in reopened bars means that "confusion reigns".

He observed: "Pubs can only allow 50 people into a room that normally fits 200... they're not going to pay for live music either.

"I'm not blaming the pubs or vintners here. We have to remember that live music is really on hold for quite some time."

Paddy stressed that government support such as the pandemic unemployment payment needs to continue beyond the summer.

He said that performances "might" resume happen in a socially distant way, but musicians "can't live in the world of might".

Paddy is now urging anyone who can to keep support going for musicians.

He explained: "It may seem on paper that things are going to get better... but in reality you can't apply those rules."