Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

In this case, the individual did examine these circumstances and contacted the Department of Social Protection several times. The Department of Social Protection is undermining a pilot scheme from the Minister’s own office. That is the extent of it because I will finish again with a quote from the person who wrote to both the Minister present and to the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, where he said these payments have diminished his capability to create and fund his own work, which was the purpose of the basic income for the arts scheme. In fact, engaging with this pilot scheme has led to at least one person, and I know that there are others who are in similar circumstances, being unable to continue with their art in the current framework. There was engagement at the start between the Minister present and the Department of Social Protection but it looks as if the Department of Social Protection does not understand the scheme and is acting against the reasons behind it.

See this speech in context