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Departmental Schemes

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 April 2022

Wednesday, 6 April 2022

Questions (55, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

55. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if an exemption was granted to her Department in the case of the live performance restart grant scheme from the requirement under circular 13/2014 that allows these grants to be issued without expenditure being vouched and without the need to return unvouched funding to the Exchequer. [18881/22]

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Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

61. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if live performance restart grant scheme grants will be paid on a mature liability basis. [18875/22]

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Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

62. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if recipients of the live performance restart grant scheme will be expected to outline the way in which they will spend the funding prior to being awarded same. [18876/22]

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Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

63. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the evidence that will be required of applicants for the live performance restart grant scheme in order to be successful. [18877/22]

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Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

64. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason that no conditions have been attached to the live performance restart grant scheme to ensure this funding is used to stage live performances and trickles down to reach the pockets of musicians and performers themselves. [18878/22]

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Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

65. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the measures that she is taking to ensure that live performance restart grant scheme recipients do not use their grant funding to cover expenditure in areas of their business unrelated to live performance, such as pub activities. [18879/22]

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Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

66. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if there will be no process to ensure that expenditure using live performance restart grant scheme funding is vouched for and that unvouched funding is returned to the Exchequer; the way that this is possible given circular 13/2014 of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which applies to the scheme. [18880/22]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 61, 55, 62, 63, 64, 65 and 66 together.

As part of the €50 million suite of supports for the Live performance sector in 2022, I recently announced details of a new €15 million Live Performance Restart Grant Scheme (LPRGS). This Scheme will operate in accordance with the provisions of circular 13/2014 of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in like manner to all Schemes run by my Department.

This scheme will provide a new grant for businesses engaged in staging live events in the arts and culture live performance sector. The scheme aims to help underpin the recovery of the live performance sector by providing business restart grants to successful applicants as a support to de-risk the planning of events across spring and summer of 2022. Grants of up to €100,000 will be available to eligible businesses under the scheme.

All applicants must also be able to demonstrate that their VAT-exclusive turnover, for any consecutive 12 month period from 1 January 2020 – 31 December 2021, was no more than 40% of their turnover prior to the introduction of COVID-19 restrictions (excluding Covid supports) , demonstrated via the provision of accounts for their reference year and an Accountant's letter. Applicants are also required to provide their most recent Audited Accounts/Accountants prepared by an accountant.

Eligible business costs for the purpose of this scheme, which include artist fees and crew fees, are clearly outlined in the Service Level Agreements which all Grantees must sign, prior to the release of any funding. Grant funding will be paid in instalments with final payment only being released when the Department is fully satisfied in terms of compliance with all the relevant conditions detailed in the Service level Agreement. Grantees must provide confirmation by way of an Auditor's certificate or Accountant's letter that the monies drawn down under this scheme are to address eligible business costs in order to request the final drawdown of this grant. Grantees must also provide a breakdown of the spend and have all invoices and proof of payment available on request for audit purposes.

All monies drawn down under this scheme must be used to address eligible business costs and successful grantees must provide confirmation of this by way of an Auditor's certificate or Accountant's letter in order to request the final drawdown of this grant.

This scheme will remain open for applications until 20th April via an online application portal on my Department’s website.

Further information in relation to this scheme can be accessed on my Department’s website here - www.gov.ie/en/publication/d1d0c-live-performance-restart-grant-scheme-lprgs-guidelines/ .

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