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

The Deputy asked about the steps I am taking to support the live performance sector. In 2021, my Department paid out grants of almost €54 million to support the live entertainment sector and drive employment opportunities for artists and crews, through the following schemes. There was €25 million for the live performance support scheme, LPSS; €13.7 million for the events sector Covid support scheme; €8.8 million for the local live performance support scheme; €3.1 million for the music and entertainment support scheme; €1.7 million for the commercial entertainment capital grant scheme; and €880,000 for the St. Patrick's Festival.

Following budget 2022, I announced details of another €50 million suite of measures to support the live performance sector in 2022. That has provided for the LPSS 2, which supported pantomimes and seasonal musical theatre impacted by the Covid restrictions in December and January, and under which €2.9 million has been offered. The LPSS 3 supported events due to be staged in December and January that were curtailed, cancelled or rescheduled due to the Covid restrictions. Grants of €9.5 million have been offered under LPSS 3. The live performance restart grant scheme, LPRGS, is supporting the live entertainment sector by providing businesses with restart grants to derisk the planning of events across spring and summer of 2022 and to assist with the costs of reopening. Grants of €14.7 million have been offered under the LPRGS. There was also €1 million for the St Patrick’s Festival.

The music and entertainment business assistance scheme, MEBAS, provided grants as a targeted support for self-employed performers and sole traders operating solely in the live entertainment sector. Some €2.8 million has been allocated under MEBAS 2022. The local live public performance scheme phase 3 has provided €5 million for local authorities to stage live events until the end of June. I have recently allocated a further €5 million to local authorities to provide for live events until Hallowe'en. Grants of €1.7 million have been provided under the 2022 commercial entertainment capital grant scheme, which assisted with the capital costs associated with reopening after closures due to the pandemic.

To date, grants of almost €42.6 million have been allocated. None of the live performance schemes has been oversubscribed and there has been sufficient funding available to provide grants to all eligible applicants.

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