Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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205. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department will review the impact of participation in the basic income for artists scheme on existing social protection supports, in particular if artists in receipt of payments, such as a disability payment, will not be precluded from participating in the scheme, given the proposed trial is to be launched imminently. [13705/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Basic Income for the Arts Pilot scheme will run over a three year period and the intention is to research the impact a basic income would have on artists and creatives work patterns by providing the opportunity to participants to focus on their practice.   Stakeholder engagement has been core to the policy development process and this included a stakeholder forum on 15 December 2021 and a public consultation throughout the month of January. 

The impact of such a scheme on artists with disabilities is a theme that has been raised throughout the consultation and I can assure the Deputy that it is a matter I take very seriously.  I want to ensure that all artists, including those with a disability, can apply to participate in the pilot.  

My Department of Social Protection were members of the Oversight Group I established last year tasked with appraising the recommendations set out in Life Worth Living report.

In addition, bilateral engagement between the two Department's on the treatment of the Basic Income for the Arts payment has been ongoing over the past number of months.  In particular discussions around the treatment of the grant payment for the purposes of income disregards across a number of social welfare schemes, including disability allowance, are ongoing. 

I can assure the Deputy that the issue of artists with disabilities is something which I am focused on. I believe that the Basic Income for the Arts has the potential to help artists and creative arts workers with disabilities overcome labour market barriers by creating a self-sustaining creative practice, operating on a self-employed basis.