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

I will take the question on the Future of Media Commission first, because I have already addressed it. It is our intention to publish that shortly. We are having final meetings about it with the Ministers.

As for the basic income for artists scheme, it is the case that I have no statutory function in social welfare means tests. That is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. The participation of artists with disabilities is a matter that I take very seriously. I have sought to ensure that all artists, including those who have a disability, can apply to participate in the pilot. Helplines were established for them so that they could see if they would be impacted. We are encouraging everyone to apply. A key research question that will arise from this entire basic income scheme process will be around the impact that such a payment could have on artists with disabilities. To that end, I was determined since the outset of the basic income for artists scheme that artists with disabilities would be in a position to participate. We therefore worked closely with the Department of Social Protection to enable their earnings to be treated as earnings from self-employment and to be taken into account in respect of the earnings disregards that apply to many social welfare payments. That means that the basic income for the arts will be treated like any other income that a person in receipt of social welfare payments earns from employment. Not all disabled artists are on social welfare supports, but for those who are dependent on income supports, the issue to which we have referred relates primarily to the manner in which social welfare schemes assess income from other sources.

Again, eligibility for social welfare is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection. However, this is all shining a necessary light on this. This will be a key piece that will arise from this research pilot scheme. We have done everything possible to encourage them, as far as we could within the constraints of not being the Minister for Social Protection, in terms of trying to get the basic income for the arts over the line. Of the approximately 9,000 applications that we received, 6.9% of those are from people with a disability. They will therefore be represented on the scheme. They definitely will have a chance to feed into and to be part of the research. I am sure that like other artists, some will be on the control group as well. I have done what I can within the constraints of the scheme and given the fact that I am not the Minister for Social Protection but Minister with responsibility for arts.

In relation to the night-time economy, I acknowledge what the Senator is saying about taxis and how it is not sustainable to have one person in a taxi. On the issue of the eight proposed bus routes, the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is very supportive of any developments there and in the night-time economy sector. His Department, as well as the various transport agencies, are on the implementation group. I agree fully with the Senator. The Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, is determined to get that done too, from a sustainability point of view.

RTÉ is not funded by the Exchequer, but by licence fee receipts. Therefore, that is a matter for RTÉ to decide on. A portion of the funds from the recent sale of land by RTÉ have been ring-fenced for digital. I think that may include the RTÉ Player. It will also go towards the paying down of debt. I think I have addressed all of the Senator’s questions.