Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Throughout the pandemic we have been very cognisant of the challenges the restrictions caused for the arts, culture and live entertainment industry and the Government remains committed to the live entertainment sector as the industry recovers following the lifting of all restrictions in January. To this end, more than €50 million has been provided in a suite of supports for the live performance sector in 2022. This includes €4 million for the music and entertainment business assistance scheme, specifically to support small music and entertainment businesses which do not operate out of a rateable premises. A total of €20 million was allocated in the third strand of the live performance support scheme to support events which were due to be staged in December 2021 and January 2022 and were curtailed, cancelled or rescheduled due to the restrictions. A total of €5 million was allocated to the second strand of the live performance support scheme to support pantomime and seasonal musical theatre impacted by the Covid restrictions in place in December and January. There is €5 million for local authorities to support local artists and performances through the local live performance programming scheme. There is €5 million to continue the capital supports scheme to venues, including for ventilation upgrades and other Covid adaptations. This scheme is open for applications until 31 May 2022. There was also €1 million for the St. Patrick's Festival 2022.

A total of €15 million has been allocated for the live performance restart grant scheme. This will provide a new grant for businesses engaged in staging live events in the arts and culture live performance sector. The scheme aims to help underpin the recovery of the live performance sector by providing business restart grants to successful applicants as a support to de-risk the planning of events across spring and summer of 2022. Grants of up to €100,000 will be available to eligible businesses under the scheme. This scheme closed for application at 1 p.m. on 20 April with 210 applications submitted. Applications are being assessed and to date grants totalling €6.5 million have already been offered to 79 applicants under the scheme. Assessments are ongoing and decisions will continue to issue on a rolling basis. The payments process will commence shortly and payments will continue to issue on a weekly basis as grantees submit their documentation and payment requests.

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