Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 April 2019
22. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the progress being made to address the entitlements of those whose profession is of a sporadic nature and the stress this causes for persons, for example, in the acting profession; and her plans to extend the arts scheme for longer than a year. [15646/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe main social welfare supports for unemployed people who have lost work and are unable to find alternative full-time employment are the jobseeker’s allowance (JA) and jobseeker’s benefit (JB) schemes.
A pilot initiative to assist self-employed visual artists and writers who apply to my Department for JA was launched in June 2017. The initiative involved collaboration between my Department and what is now the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with the support and advice of the Arts Council. It was agreed after a process of consultation that the initiative would apply to members of Visual Arts Ireland and the Irish Writers Centre. The pilot gives recipients 12 months to focus on building up their work and develop their creative potential before they are subject to activation. A total of some 90 people have participated in this pilot since its introduction.
My Department is currently reviewing this pilot and its findings will inform any decisions on the future and its extension to professional artists in other disciplines.
While actors, including those which are self-employed, are not in a position to access this pilot they may qualify for JA or JB provided they satisfy the conditionality of the scheme. Both schemes provide significant support allowing individuals to work up to 3 days a week and still retain access to a reduced jobseeker’s payment. In addition the Government has agreed to introduce a social insurance based JobSeeker Benefit scheme for people who are self-employed. The terms of this scheme are being finalised and will be published shortly. As many people in the arts sector are self-employed this will be of benefit to them.
I would advise that any person experiencing unemployment, including actors whose employment is of a sporadic nature, to engage with their local Intreo office for support.
