Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 November 2020
489. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if any of the €50 million allocated to the live events sector will be allocated specifically to help the trade show and exhibition sector. [32439/20]
View answer524. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the criteria for qualification to the now extended live performance scheme whose fund has been provided through the budget, amounting in €50 million; the person or body that will decide on eligibility; the person or body that will administer same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32541/20]
View answer527. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the funding available to musicians as announced in budget 2021; the process to access the funding and closing dates for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32618/20]
View answer542. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she has raised the issue of live events businesses not being eligible for the Covid restrictions support scheme due to their lack of business premises with the Minister for Finance or the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment; the steps she suggests to ensure live events businesses are not disadvantaged by this ineligibility and can survive while restrictions prohibit the holding of live events; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33204/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 489, 524, 527 and 542 together.
In Budget 2021, the Government announced the provision of support for live entertainment in the amount of €50m. This will include measures for the commercial entertainment sector and will support live entertainment across the country. The 2021 supports for the live entertainment sector will be the subject of further consultation with stakeholders. It will also build on, and be informed by, the pilot live performance scheme in 2020 which is being rolled out now. The pilot scheme was available to promoters whether or not they owned their own premises. There will be further supports for music, building on the very significant demand for support under the Music Scheme operated by First Music Contact. Combined with measures announced by the Minister for Finance, this will provide additional supports to a sector severely impacted by COVID-19.
These measures are in addition to other supports common to other or all sectors including the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme, restart grants, exemptions from commercial rates, the warehousing of tax liabilities, and the reduction in VAT on ticket sales. In addition, the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to all employees and the self-employed who have lost their job due to the COVID-19 pandemic. There are also a range of schemes available including the COVID-19 Credit Guarantee Scheme which offers loans from €10,000 to €1 million, for terms of up to five and a half years, and COVID-19 Business Loans of up to €25,000 which are available through Microfinance Ireland with zero repayments and zero interest for the first 6 months and the equivalent of an additional 6 months interest-free subject to certain terms and conditions.
Details of all of these supports are available at https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/ .
