Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
561. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the steps she is taking to ensure that one-off payments to support artists and support crews does not come from existing or announced arts funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14317/21]
View answer571. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason music and entertainment workers and businesses with a turnover of less than €20,000 will not be eligible for the music and entertainment business assistance scheme. [15030/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 571 together.
In Budget 2021, an amount of €50m was provided for the live entertainment sector. Recently, I was pleased to announce the allocation of this funding by way of a suite of measures to support those in the live entertainment Sector. As part of this suite, an allocation of €25 million is being made available under the Live Performance Support Scheme 2021. This scheme builds on the successful outcomes of the pilot Live Performance Support Scheme (LPSS) in 2020. The pilot LPSS was widely welcomed and very successful, with many artists, including lighting sound and audiovisual creatives getting employment in the weeks running up to Christmas. The main criticism was that many in the sector did not benefit from the scheme as the amount available was just €5m. Given that the new scheme amounts to five times the level of the pilot, I am confident that funding will now reach right across the live performance sector.
An allocation of €14m will be made available for a new scheme to make a contribution to the overheads of businesses, specifically musicians and related crew, that have been significantly negatively affected by COVID-19 and that do not qualify for other business supports. The main features of this new Music Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme (MEBAS) will see support offered by way of two levels of flat payments:
- €2,500 for businesses with a VAT-exclusive turnover of €20,000 - €100,000;
- €5,000 for businesses with a VAT-exclusive turnover in excess of €100,000.
Under the scheme, musicians, singers, lighting and sound crew and audio equipment suppliers - whether sole traders, partnerships or incorporated entities - operating exclusively within the commercial live entertainment sector will be eligible to apply. The scheme will open when the necessary administrative and IT systems are in place. The eligibility threshold of €20,000 aims to strike an appropriate balance having regard to other available supports and the need to reach as many professional musicians and crew as possible.
