Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 June 2022
7. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of artists, performers and events in Dublin that have benefited from the local live performance programme scheme since its introduction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32142/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI seek an update on the local live performance support scheme, administered through the local authorities. How many artists, performers and events in Dublin have benefited from the scheme?
I introduced the local live performance support scheme, LLPSS, in 2021 as part of a suite of measures aimed at supporting the live entertainment sector through the Covid pandemic. The scheme allocated funding to local authorities to stage live events and thereby animate our town centres for local communities. A key objective of the scheme was to provide for the procurement by local authorities of performances by local performers and local crews in their communities. I provided funding of €8.8 million in 2021 to the LLPSS and the scheme proved very popular, with events taking place in every county. Every local authority participated, with 352 events taking place during 2021. In that year, the scheme provided for more than 7,800 employment days, while more than 5,600 individual artists, performers, production and technical crew benefited from it. Across the four local authorities in Dublin, 122 individual events that took place in the same year were funded by the LLPSS. This resulted in 1,692 employment days for 1,006 individual artists, performers, production and technical crew benefiting from events in Dublin under this scheme.
Feedback from local authorities was overwhelmingly positive, acknowledging the scheme has helped to reinvigorate local communities and provide a welcome boost to their economies during the pandemic. This year, I provided €5 million for events up to the end of June to provide a boost to the reopening of the entertainment sector, allowing live events to take place and local talent to perform to audiences throughout the country. Given the events are ongoing until the end of the month, the feedback surveys detailing the number of artists, crews and events to date in 2022 are not yet available. In light of the success of the scheme, I recently allocated a further €5 million to provide for events up to Hallowe'en.
I am delighted the LLPSS for local authorities has been such a success. It is part of a €50 million suite of supports in 2022 for those working in the live entertainment sector and has provided support to many working within it. I look forward to seeing communities enjoy the wide range of events over the coming months.
I might just clarify the figures. The Minister referred to 7,800 employment days in 2021 and 1,692 in 2022, but she also mentioned a figure of 5,600. What was that?
In 2021, the scheme provided for 7,800 employment days among more than 5,600 individual artists. That relates to the overall scheme.
I have a copy of a press release from the Minister, dated 7 March, that referred to 10,000 employment days. It stated the 2021 scheme supported 350 events and the funding supported 10,000 days of employment, but it is not clear whether that relates to 2021 or whether it is a cumulative total up to 2022. Either way, it does not seem to add up. Will the Minister check that information and revert to me? Perhaps the press release was inaccurate.
I also have a couple of questions about the distribution of the funds. Following Deputy Cairns's question about when the payments are made, I appreciate the Minister is making the funding available to the local authorities. Will she clarify how that is being distributed to artists?
For Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, for example, €245,000 was given. We give that money and the local authorities then look after the events and the artists from that. The Deputy will have seen those recent events, such as one relating to the poetry of Séamus Heaney in Irish from Féile IMRAM and Tír na nÓg in the Mill Theatre. I think there was even a baby rave as well. The four local authorities in Dublin were given €245,000 each year. We give the money to them and they employ the local artists and organise the events.
I am fascinated by the idea of a baby rave. Has Deputy Carroll MacNeill ever attended one of them?
I can confirm I have not.
We have had one of them every day in my house for the past ten years.
It is about babies dancing together and exploring the wonders of music and rhythm at an early age.
I suspect it is more for the parents to get out, although that might just be me.
Obviously, we are transitioning away from a Covid period whereby the requirement to support artists in this way may be changing. The Minister indicated a transition to a basic income model for artists. What questions are now being asked of her and her Department by this sector in advance of the budget? Is this still the sort of funding being sought through the local authorities or is there a recognition we are moving back, I hope, to reality? Even if we are still having baby raves, we might be moving back to a more realistic form of providing entertainment in the long run. I appreciate the model of funding may be transitioning and I wonder whether the Minister can give me more detail on that in advance of the budget.
As I said, the most recent tranche was the €5 million for events up to the end of June and, more recently, due to its success, a further €5 million that will run up to Hallowe'en. The various supports put in place for the live entertainment sector were designed to address the challenges posed by the pandemic and, in particular, the constraints imposed on live performance by the necessary restrictions on indoor and outdoor congregation. These supports were designed in close consultation with the stakeholders and have been the subject of very positive feedback. Thankfully, we are in a position whereby the restrictions have fully lifted and the rationale for interventions no longer applies. Nonetheless, my officials will remain in contact with stakeholders throughout the sector. While a continuation of the existing schemes is not envisaged, we will continue to engage in the coming months and I anticipate submissions from the sector in advance of the budget, which will be considered in the normal way ahead of budget 2023.
