Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Different schemes were developed at different times throughout the pandemic. This scheme is about supporting people and has been designed to give them restart stability to ensure they can plan ahead. All applicants, existing and new, must be able to demonstrate their VAT exclusive turnovers and a proven track record of at least two years of delivering ticketed events in the arts and culture sector. If an applicant is a new entrant, he or she must be in a position to demonstrate that. Existing grantees are deemed to have already demonstrated their track records, so they will not have to do so again.

The LPRGS was just announced yesterday. All grantees will have to complete the evaluation survey to demonstrate that the grants are reaching where they need to go. I am happy to forward the committee more information on comparing the schemes and how that comparison might impact on the LPRGS. What we were doing in the thick of Covid compared with what we are doing now to aid in the recovery process are quite different in design.