Ivana Bacik (Dublin Bay South, Labour)
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220. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No 448 of 1 April 2025, when a decision will be made and communicated; if he will make a statement on the need for certainty for self-employed persons availing of the scheme; and if there will be a tapering of supports in the event that the scheme is phased out. [22236/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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A Government decision will be required on a successor scheme to the pilot, and the future of the BIA will be decided when the final results of the research are available which will provide the Government with the evidence base upon which to base future policy decisions about the Basic Income for the Arts.

As previously outlined, the Programme for Government commits to assessing the Basic Income for the Arts pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. The data collected as part of the Basic Income for the Arts pilot research scheme will feed into Government consideration of the next steps.

With regard to those who are self-employed; artists are typically self-employed and self-employed people were eligible to apply for the pilot scheme.

As I noted in my previous reply, while the research phase of the pilot scheme is still ongoing, it is clear from evidence collected to date under the scheme that it is having a positive impact on participants. The latest data is available through published reports on the Basic Income for the Arts website on Gov.ie.