Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the representatives of the National Campaign for the Arts for appearing before the committee. The poverty crisis among artists and cultural and creative workers is nothing new, nor is it an employment or jobs issue.

We give State support to the arts because there is a market failure and artists exist on commissions, short-term work, contracts, shares of fluctuating box office receipts, gallery sales and, when they are lucky, royalty payments from their work.

My question is about the pandemic unemployment payment and the employment wage subsidy scheme. Is Ms Dorgan concerned about the failure to address the flaws in the EWSS to ensure the scheme delivers for workers, businesses and the affected sectors, including the arts sector? Is that a significant concern for the National Campaign for the Arts?