Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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39. To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment pursuant to the programme for Government 2020, the status of plans for a universal basic income pilot in the lifetime of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9090/23]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Last year the Low Pay Commission submitted its report on piloting a Universal Basic Income, and its accompanying research report, authored by ESRI under the terms of the Low Pay Commission / ESRI Research Partnership Agreement, titled ‘A universal basic income for Ireland: Lessons from the international literature’,.

It should be noted that the ‘Basic Income for the Arts’ pilot scheme is underway. The Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme will run over a three-year period (2022 – 2025) and is open to eligible artists and creative arts sector workers. The scheme is administered by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

It should also be noted that the Commission on Taxation and Welfare considered the issue of Universal Basic Income. In their 2022 ‘Foundations for the Future’ report they said, “The Commission does not support the development of a Universal Basic Income in Ireland”.

The Commission also noted that “Further, it is noted that resourcing such a pilot project may detract from the State’s ability to fund means-tested welfare schemes, or other targeted measures to address poverty.”

Given the recent implementation of Basic Income for the Arts scheme, and the views of the Commission on Taxation and Welfare on the development of Universal Basic Income in Ireland, there are no plans to introduce or further trial Universal Basic Income at this time.