Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2022
126. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason the basic income for artists scheme was not means tested; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47421/22]
View answerThe Basic Income for the Arts is not a social protection support and therefore was not means tested.
This is a three year research project and we are trialling a basic income model and one of the key characteristics of a basic income is that it is not means tested. We will be collecting data on incomes of participants which will inform any future policy in this area.
It is well established that artists suffer from low and precarious incomes and that pay and income are lower in the arts than other sectors, with most artists experiencing both low and precarious income. This fact underpinned the Arts Council’s Paying the Artist policy to ensure artists were paid fairly for their work.
A 2018 report by Theatre Forum on pay and conditions in the sector indicated that 30% of artists and creative practitioners in the performing arts earned less than the National Minimum wage. CSO data from the same period showed that average weekly earnings in the Arts, entertainment, recreation and other service activities sector were two thirds of the average across all sectors (€494.98 compared to €740.32).
