Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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125. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the progress to date in implementing the recommendations set out in the 2020 Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce report, Life Worth Living to assist the recovery of the arts and culture sector post-pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2494/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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It has been widely acknowledged that the impact of COVID-19 on the Arts and Culture sector has been more detrimental, and will last longer, than in nearly any other sector. In recognition of that fact I established the Arts and Culture Recovery Taskforce in 2020 as a response to the Pandemic, and to provide a platform for solution-focused recommendations for the recovery of the Arts and Culture sector.

The Taskforce reported to me in November 2020 and made ten recommendations on the across the following themes:

- income, taxation and financial provision measures;

- education and training supports;

- technology supports;

- mental health supports;

- social protection measures;

- copyright measures;

I established an Oversight Group tasked with appraising the level of implementation of the Taskforce recommendations.Earlier this month, I welcomed the publication of a report from the Oversight Committee on the implementation of the recommendations made in the “Life Worth Living” Report.

I am delighted that we have been able to respond to many of the recommendations made by the Taskforce, with over 75% of the recommendations already implemented. 

The number one recommendation of the taskforce was the introduction of a basic income for the arts pilot scheme (BIA). I have allocated €25m in 2022 to launch the pilot BIA in 2022 which remains one of my key priorities.

Significant work has been done to realise this as a practical and substantial support for the arts and cultural sector, including a stakeholder forum held on the 15th of December to inform key policy areas of the Scheme and an open consultation that is currently open to the public.  

Other recommendations that have also been implemented include;

- A review of the Resilience and recovery 2020-2021 Plan for Living with COVID-19;

- Establishing a capacity building and upskilling scheme for artists and creative workers through professional development;

- Establishing a programme that provides wellbeing supports to the creative sector;

- The provision of financial support to local authorities to enable them to maintain their investment in arts, culture and events at 2020 levels;

- Transposing the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market into Irish law;

- Introducing a Business Supports Grants Scheme for SMEs in the events

- industry that are excluded from the COVID-19 Restrictions Support

- Scheme (CRSS); 

- Establishing "Re-Imagining our public spaces" as part of a capital improvement programme; 

- Establishing and funding a Creative Green Programme.

The report is available via this link:

www.gov.ie/en/press-release/a83f6-minister-catherine-martin-publishes-a-progress-report-on-the-arts-and-culture-recovery-taskforce-recommendations/