Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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137. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the reason a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary has not been accepted into the artists' basic income project; if there is a standby list for consideration to replace any successful applicant who may not have accepted the offer of entry into the scheme; if this person will be automatically considered for any future artists' basic income schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47735/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Over 9,000 applications were made under the scheme with over 8,200 assessed as eligible according to the published guidelines for the scheme.  Eligible applications were then included in a randomised anonymous selection process to choose the participants.  This process was overseen by EY acting as an independent verifier. Over 8,200 eligible applicants were included in the anonymised randomised selection to select the 2,000 BIA recipients and the control group of 1,000 participants.

The application referred to by the Deputy was assessed and found to be eligible and was included in the anonymised random selection for recipients. Unfortunately this applicant was not selected to participate in the scheme. 

It is important to note that eligibility was not a guarantee of a place on the BIA. I understand that those who applied and were not successful are disappointed, however, as a pilot scheme the BIA is operating with a limited fund providing for 2,000 participants.

If someone decides not to accept the offer of the BIA grant that place will be reallocated using a further random selection process.  In this way, anyone eligible who has not already been selected or is in the control group would be included in another selection process to fill places prior to first payment.

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Over 9,000 applications were made under the scheme with over 8,200 assessed as eligible according to the published guidelines for the scheme.  Eligible applications were then included in a randomised anonymous selection process to choose the participants.  This process was overseen by EY acting as an independent verifier. Over 8,200 eligible applicants were included in the anonymised randomised selection to select the 2,000 BIA recipients and the control group of 1,000 participants.

It is important to note that eligibility was not a guarantee of a place on the BIA. I understand that those who applied and were not successful are disappointed, however, as a pilot scheme the BIA is operating with a limited fund providing for 2,000 participants.

If someone decides not to accept the offer of the BIA grant the Department will reallocate that place using the same random selection process to fill the 2,000 places before payment begins.  This means that anyone eligible who has not already been selected or is in the control group will be included in another selection process to fill places prior to first payment. 

This is a research project and the main element of the research programme is a longitudinal study with the same survey being delivered every 6 months for 3 years. We will be collecting data across a wide variety of research domains to measure the impact of the payment including income and relative/consistent poverty indicators.  The data collected as part of the research will inform future Government policy in relation to how best to support artists.