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

I thank the Deputy for his kind words on the basic income. This was about changing how we value the arts and I hope it is a game-changer in that. Deputy Mythen has been very supportive of it, as have Deputies Ó Snodaigh and Munster and Senator Warfield, and I thank them for that. It is €325 per week and the figure came from artists and their engagement with it. It was the number one recommendation of the report of the arts and culture recovery task force. It suggested the figure of €325 per week and so I held firm to that to deliver what was sought. That came from the engagement with the group. I share the Deputy's hopes. I hope this is a three-year research project as well as the money aspect of it. I am hoping the research will really prove it should be rolled out to all artists.