Mr. Gerry O'Brien:

My union represents professional performers. The average income for most of them from their profession is between €12,000 and €15,000. When there is something like the basic income for artists scheme, which is vital to them, one has to ask why we have to throw those lifebelts to people. Let us go up river and find out why they are earning so little. The ongoing residual payments, which are normal in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK - the UK operates here through co-productions - are things that can help a performer to get through a tough time. After I came back from working on a US film a number of years ago, I was hospitalised for a year. I was ill and had an issue. The residuals from that film meant I was still a viable citizen in this country. I paid tax because of those residuals, and I survived.