Skip to main content
Normal View

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 May 2022

Thursday, 5 May 2022

Questions (50)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

50. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the financial supports she is putting in place for unsuccessful applicants for the LPSS2 funding, left with debt due to Government imposed Covid restrictions on live seasonal entertainment events from Christmas 2021; if she will consider the case of Liberty Pantomime; if she will meet with a person (details supplied) whose production could not go ahead as planned; the person or body that was rejected in this application and appeal for LPSS2 being a new business set up in 2021 and could not produce VAT returns for the previous two years to the required amount of €100,000 in which cast and crew are still waiting to be paid where his business and personal reputation has been impacted through no fault of his own in which without government imposed Covid restrictions the production would have been self-financing due to ticket sales; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21877/22]

View answer

Written answers

Throughout the pandemic I have been very cognisant of the challenges the restrictions caused for the arts, culture and live entertainment industry and I remain committed to the live entertainment sector as the industry recovers following the lifting of all restrictions in January. To this end I have provided a €50 million suite of supports for the live performance sector in 2022 including;

- €15 million allocated for the Live Performance Restart Grant Scheme to support the recovery of the live performance sector by providing business restart grants as a support to de-risk the planning of events across spring and summer of 2022. - €4m allocated for the MEBAS 2022 (Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme) scheme specifically to support small music and entertainment businesses which do not operate out of a rateable premises;- €5m for Local Authorities to support local artists and performances through the LLPSS (Local Live Performance Support Scheme). This scheme in particular has provided thousands of hours of employment for local musicians, artists and crews;- €5m to continue the capital supports scheme (CECGS) to venues, including for ventilation upgrades and other COVID adaptations. This scheme is open for applications until 31 May 2022, and - €1m for the Saint Patrick's Festival 2022.

€5m was allocated for the LPSS- Strand II to support pantomime and seasonal musical theatre impacted by the Covid restrictions in place in December and January. In order to be eligible for this scheme a business must have had VAT-exclusive turnover of €100,000 or above as a result of seasonal musical theatre /pantomime for each of at least two of the past 3 years (2018-2020).

This scheme closed for applications on 31st January with a total of 17 applications submitted. Grants have been offered to 9 applicants through this scheme.Applicants could appeal a decision on their LPSS - Strand II application via the appeals process for this scheme, further details of which can be found on my department’s website here - www.gov.ie/en/publication/c2f62-live-performance-support-scheme-2021-strand-ii-seasonal-musical-theatre-panto-support-scheme-appeals/. 4 appeals were submitted in relation to LPSS Strand II, with the original decisions upheld in 3 cases and the decision varied in one case.

Officials from my Department will arrange to meet with the applicant concerned in relation to this application and subsequent appeal.

Top
Share