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

As I mentioned, I have always respected the arm's length principle as Minister. That has been a central tenet for me. The next step is that what has worked for the past four years I have been Minister is engagement and consultation. That is where the Arts Council, development and research and this multidisciplinary arts policy come in. It is currently seeking input by way of comments and suggestions from artists, art practitioners and art organisations. The Deputy can make that known and ensure people contribute to that consultation.

The Deputy asked another question in relation to basic income. On the basic income for the arts research project, eight participants cited comedy as part of the description of their practice. This includes seven in the treatment group and one in the control group. Comedians were eligible to apply for basic income for the arts. The eligibility guidelines, while based on the Arts Act generally, were broader due to the fact that artists and creative art workers were being supported and a more expansive approach was taken in the context of a pilot research programme.

See this speech in context