Naoise Ó Cearúil (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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133. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his plans to extend the basic income for the arts pilot research scheme beyond August 2025 given its positive impact to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22674/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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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. Recipients have been receiving payment and responding to surveys under the scheme since August 2022.

It is important to note that the pilot is a research programme and that no decision has been taken as to the continuation of BIA, and that the research evaluating the impact of the pilot scheme is ongoing.

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.

This data shows that the BIA payment is having a consistent, positive impact across almost all indicators - affecting practice development, sectoral retention, well-being, and deprivation. Artists in receipt of the support are typically able to devote more time to their art, produce more pieces of work, experience a boost to their well-being through greater life satisfaction and reduced anxiety, and are protected from the precariousness of incomes in the sector to a greater degree than those who are not receiving the support.

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.

I want to assure the Deputy, and the sector, that I fully appreciate the importance of the basic income support for artists. I will be meeting shortly with the National Campaign for the Arts to hear their views on the scheme n detail. My officials met recently with the Campaign on 25 April. I am acutely aware that the pilot is due to conclude in August and it is my intention to make an announcement on next steps in the coming weeks.