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

The case for a UBI was well established long before Covid. As I said earlier, those who create artistic or creative work where it is their chief occupation often experience income insecurity and cash flow problems. That was the case pre-Covid and it will be so post Covid. That financial stress can impede creativity. A 2018 review of pay and conditions in the performing arts by Theatre Forum found that 30% of artists and practitioners earn less than the national minimum wage and the circumstances in 2020, of course, are worse. The Deputy referred to the programme for Government commitment to request the Low Pay Commission to examine that. This is a key commitment in the programme for Government.

The task force has suggested that a UBI pilot scheme would cost an additional €2.5 million per annum over and above the current pandemic unemployment payment, PUP, cost per 1,000 participants. We will need to look at other UBI models, such as those in Finland, the Netherlands, Germany and California. The recommendation to undertake a pilot UBI scheme for the arts and culture community brings this debate forward. I really welcome that, as it needs to be treated with the urgency it deserves. I have started those conversations around UBI with my Cabinet colleagues. Workers in the cultural sector need ongoing support if it is to avoid depletion of talent by migration away towards other sources of income.

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