Written answers

Tuesday, 21 June 2022

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Departmental Expenditure

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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202. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total final expenditure on phase 3 of the live performance support scheme. [32125/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Live Performance Supports Scheme - LPSS 3 was launched to support events which were due to be staged in December 2021 and January 2022 and were curtailed, cancelled or rescheduled due to the restrictions on audience capacity.  Grants of over €9.5m have been offered under LPSS 3.

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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203. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total final expenditure on phase 2 of the live performance support scheme. [32126/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I launched the Live Performance Support Scheme 2 which was aimed at pantomimes and seasonal musical theatre impacted by the Covid restrictions which applied in December and January.  Grants of €2.6m have been offered under the LPSS 2 scheme. 

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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204. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total final expenditure on the music entertainment business assistance scheme. [32127/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The MEBAS (Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme) was provided, specifically to support small music and entertainment businesses which do not operate out of a rateable premises.  

€3.1m was provided in grants under MEBAS 2021 and under MEBAS 2022 €2.8m has been allocated to date.  This scheme operated as a targeted support for self-employed performers and sole traders operating solely in the live entertainment sector.

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total final expenditure on the commercial entertainment capital grant. [32128/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme (CECGS) provides funding for private sector performance venues in 2021 and 2022.  There have been two schemes: Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme 2021 which is completed, and Commercial Entertainment Capital Grant Scheme 2022 which is ongoing. 

The CECGS 2021 scheme opened for applications on 14 October 2021.  Payments totalling €1,693,042 were made in 2021 to 88 organisations.  

The 2022 scheme opened for applications on 1 March 2022.  To date, payments totalling €1,724,140 have been made to 87 organisation.  Further  payments continue to issue. 

This funding supports the installation of facilities that improve safe attendance at venues. This scheme is a targeted support for commercial businesses operating from a premises in the arts, music and entertainment sector including music of all genres, dance, entertainment, live performance, drama, commercial classes in the arts and, which have been significantly negatively impacted by restrictions introduced by the Government under public health regulations to combat the effects of COVID-19. Grants are payable to successful applicants as a contribution to the capital costs associated with re-opening after closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Support offered is by way of a payment to the value of 5% of the VAT-exclusive turnover of the arts and culture activity of the business, up to a maximum award of €25,000.

Photo of Aengus Ó SnodaighAengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total final expenditure on the live performance restart rant scheme. [32129/22]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Live Performance Restart Grant Scheme (LPRGS) was launched in March to provide a new grant for businesses engaged in staging live events in the arts and culture live performance sector. This scheme will support the live entertainment sector by providing business re-start grants to de-risk the planning of events across spring and summer of 2022 and to assist with the costs of reopening.

186 grants have been offered to date under the Live Performance Restart Grant Scheme with grants of €14.7m offered to date. 20 applicants were unsuccessful.  A number of cases are still under consideration at present and these figures may therefore change slightly. 

None of the live performance schemes have been oversubscribed and there has been sufficient funding available to provide grants to all eligible applicants.

This funding I believe has been essential to help underpin the recovery of the sector post pandemic.  It has been great to see the hundreds of events and gigs happening across the country and I am pleased to see artists, crews, event producers and promoters are back to doing what they do best. 

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