Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

Before the pilot scheme, 72% of respondents to a survey earned less than the national hourly average and 16% earned less than the minimum wage. The reality for most people working in the arts is precariousness, a lack of employment and income security, being forced out of the arts because they cannot sustain themselves, and high levels of deprivation and stress due to their precarious situations. It is clear from the reports to date that the scheme has improved, albeit not enough, the situation of arts workers, so why delay extending it? I welcome the reference to the forum. Will arts spokespeople be allowed to attend it so that it can hear what artists are saying? We need to engage with artists and should extend the scheme now.

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