Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 October 2023
125. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the reason that the observation of selection process for the basic income for the arts pilot scheme, commissioned from a company (details supplied) and received by her Department in June 2023, at a cost of €8,462.40, is not due to be published; and if she will reconsider this decision. [42995/23]
View answerThe stakeholder forum and public consultation processes on the Basic Income pilot found broad agreement to adopt a randomised selection process for the scheme. The selection process was developed and run by policy analysts in the Department’s Strategic Policy Division (SPD), an in-house resource separate to the unit administering the scheme.
In order to achieve a representative sample of the cohort of eligible applicants, SPD developed a blind, randomised selection process that provided all applicants with an equal and non-qualified opportunity to be selected for participation in the pilot. The ESRI also peer reviewed the methodology of the longitudinal study in advance of the selection process.
The SPD used a statistical software package called STATA for the selection process which was verified by by an independent auditor who also reviewed the selection methodology. The process used a random number generator to randomly select participants, ensuring no human intervention, bias, selectivity or targeting in the sample. This is to allow for a fair selection of a representative sample of the cohort of eligible applicants to the pilot. The accompanying longitudinal study will examine impact across a wide range of topics including:
• Demographics
• Changes to income and spending patterns
• Employment, work and job quality
• Time use for activities like working in the arts, working in other sectors, household work, care work, leisure activities, physical activity, etc.
• Practice, Skills and Training
• Changes in relation to artistic and creative output, artistic practice, and impact,
• Well-being including mental health
The report referred to was intended for internal Departmental use only, to provide an independent quality assurance process for the selection process. While I would have no problem with it being published, at the time of engaging the provider, in the interests of expediency and cost, it was procured for internal use and the contract prohibits publication. If the report had been produced for publication the provider has a different internal assurance system which would have taken longer, cost more and would have delayed the selection process and the start of the BIA payments. My officials are engaging with the provider to determine if we can adjust the non-publication clause in the contract and I will write to the Deputy as soon as I know the outcome of those discussions.
