Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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365. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the employers of artists who received grants from her Department, such as the LPSS or LPGRS, but who are found to have breached employment law by the Workplace Relations Commission, will be expected to, or made, return their funding. [37040/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Throughout the pandemic, I was very cognisant of the challenges the restrictions caused for the arts, culture and live entertainment industry. A suite of supports were delivered by my Department for the live entertainment sector including;

• €25m allocated to the 2021 Live Performance Support Scheme
• €4m allocated for the MEBAS 2022 (Music and Entertainment Business Assistance Scheme) scheme specifically to support small music and entertainment businesses which do not operate out of a rateable premises
• €20 million was allocated for the LPSS 3, another strand of the Live Performance Support Scheme to support events which were due to be staged in December 2021 and January 2022 and have been curtailed, cancelled or rescheduled due to the restrictions
• €5m was allocated for the LPSS- Strand II to support pantomime and seasonal musical theatre impacted by the Covid restrictions
• €20m for Local Authorities to support local artists and performances through the Local Live Performance Programming Scheme
• €5m capital supports scheme (CECGS) to venues for ventilation upgrades and other COVID adaptations.

These schemes sustained employment opportunities and well-being and protected the sector’s future viability, supporting over 100,000 days of employment during the pandemic.

Payment of grants was contingent upon proof of payment to ensure that artists and crews were remunerated and that the grant awarded had been used for the purpose intended. It is not possible to retrospectively amend the terms and conditions of a scheme of support. These schemes were emergency interventions to provide support to artists and the live entertainment sector through what was an existential crisis. No such schemes are operated by my Department at present.