Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I congratulate Professor Rafter on his appointment. One of the issues that has arisen relates to the funding model and the individual artist. According to the Arts Council, Theatre Forum, the 400 artists or people involved in the arts, the Abbey Theatre and Visual Artists Ireland, the average wage of an artist is between €12,000 and €13,000. As funding increases, as we might expect it to, we are faced with the choice of whether to continue to support projects that do not raise the living standards, security or income of artists. Previously, in arts policy or a portfolio relating to the arts, the Arts Council funded theatre companies and projects. What if we had a conversation about a living wage in circumstances where the council gives the money to an individual artist? Perhaps the artist has to earn €5,000 to €8,000 per year in his or her own right, but he or she would be compensated up to a living wage. Whatever income was earned, the lower level of compensation would be paid by the Arts Council and at the guaranteed level, that is, the living wage, no compensation would be paid by the State. That would essentially recognise and reward the unrecognised time that artists spend on their work and address the poverty levels in the sector. An income of €12,000 or €13,000 means someone is living in poverty. We are having a conversation about poverty. Does does Professor Rafter consider that to be a viable funding option?