Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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26. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her Department is investigating ways to offset rising ticket prices for arts events during the cost-of-living crisis; and, if not, if it will consider same. [47587/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Deputy may wish to note that under Budget 2023, I have maintained the Arts Council allocation €130m. This allocation will allow the Arts Council to continue to protect jobs and livelihoods of artists, and assist arts organisations through the cost of living crisis.  With such assistance and the support of the public, the core infrastructure of the arts in Ireland has survived. This ongoing public funding in 2023 allows the Arts Council to continue its support for artists and arts organisations.

In relation to the current cost of living challenges, additional funding is also being provided in 2022 for the impact of increased energy bills on the not-for-profit and voluntary organisations, which includes €15m for the arts and culture sector.  

In parallel with these direct supports, businesses which are impacted by rising energy costs will also be able to avail of the Government’s newly announced Temporary Business Energy Support scheme, with grants of up to €10,000 a month.

Budget 2023  and the cost of living package  delivers a range of  supports to the tourism, culture, arts Gaeltacht, sport and media sectors, right across Ireland. These measures announced under the Budget last Tuesday resulted from ongoing dialogue and engagement between the officials in my department and the sectors and communities which come under our remit. 

Budget 2023 is unprecedented compared to recent years and one of increasing uncertainty in the face of rising energy costs, inflation and economic uncertainty. Supporting the householders and work organisations through fiscal measures in an effective way, while simultaneously ensuring the sustainability of public finances, is a key priority of the Government.

Together, we have provided supports to help these important sectors survive through the rapidly increasing energy and operating costs that they are facing.  In the case of the Arts Council funding this Budget will no doubt assist the Council to address significant cost of living increases for artists, arts workers and arts organisations

For the arts, creative and culture sectors, the Department and its agencies are working on a broad range of initiatives ranging from income and grant supports, to individual artists, to energy efficiency and structural enhancements for our arts and culture infrastructure.  Some examples of these initiatives include:

- The Basic Income for Artists Scheme – a scheme to support 2,000 artists by providing a guaranteed basic income to support their continued practice;

- The Green Arts Initiative – a project supported by the Arts Council to reduce the carbon footprint and enhance the sustainability of arts centres and venues; and;

- Capital grant funding schemes for retrofitting and other enhancements to the arts and culture infrastructure.

I understand that the Council’s ambition for 2023  is to develop the arts sector in particular to support a Recovery from Covid  and to help organisations re-build audiences and arrest their losses due to falling income from box office and increased production costs.