Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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463. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the total cost to the Exchequer related to the basic income for the arts scheme, broken down by year since it was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37160/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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464. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the total number of people currently in recent of payment under the basic income for arts scheme, broken down by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37161/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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466. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding any engagement he has had with representative groups in relation the extension of the basic income for artists scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37163/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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467. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding the review of the basic income for artists scheme; a timeline for its completion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37166/25]

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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468. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to concerns from those in receipt of the basic income for artists payment regarding the lack of certainty beyond February 2026; if a multiannual fund can be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37167/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 463, 464 and 466 to 468, inclusive, together.

The Programme for Government commits to assessing the Basic Income for the Arts pilot research scheme to maximise its impact. I appreciate the importance of the Basic Income support for artists, which is why I recently announced that Cabinet has agreed to my proposal to an extension of six months to allow for further evaluation of the pilot data. The cost of the 6-month extension is €16.7m. The extension will provide sufficient time to engage in stakeholder consultation and to evaluate the data which will provide the evidence base for Government to make decisions on the next steps.

My Department has been undertaking a comprehensive research programme based on this data and is currently preparing a report examining the first 24 months of the scheme. I also recently published a paper which collects the experiences of BIA recipients, who were interviewed by a sociologist. A cost-benefit analysis paper is also being prepared. It will compare the benefits and costs arising from the BIA in order to determine its net value.

The primary objective of the scheme is to help artists deal with precarious incomes and to prevent talent from leaving the sector for economic reasons. 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. 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 wellbeing 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.

I know that the BIA support is hugely valued by artists in receipt of it, it has also been the subject of much positive commentary at home and in an international context and makes an important statement about the value placed on the arts in Ireland. I met with the National Campaign for the Arts in mid-May and further stakeholder engagement is planned for the coming months.

A Government decision will be required on a successor scheme to the pilot, and I intend to bring forward proposals for a permanent intervention in the context of Budget 2026 discussions, based on the evidence arising from the research programme and stakeholder engagement

The current pilot scheme costs approximately €35m per year. The net cost is likely to be less, given the high number of BIA recipients who were previously on social welfare supports prior to the BIA.

Including administration and other costs the outturn each year has been as follows (to nearest €,000):

2022 €11,373,000

2023 €34,508,000

2024 €34,344,000

2025 to-date €17,254,000

The total expenditure varies year-on-year due to natural attrition of participants and as administration and other costs fluctuate, for example external research costs.

There are currently 1968 participants on the scheme, broken down by county below.

Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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465. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position regarding any research carried out by his Department into the potential cost of expanding the basic income for artists scheme to additional artists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37162/25]

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 (BIA) research scheme to maximise its impact, which is why recently I announced that Cabinet had agreed to my proposal to an extension of six months to allow for further evaluation of the pilot data. This will give sufficient time to engage in stakeholder consultation and to evaluate the data which will provide the evidence base for Government to make decisions on the next steps.

The scheme is underpinned by a robust research programme collecting data about all aspects of the lives of the artists and creative arts workers who are participating in the scheme. The research pilot is the first large-scale randomised control trial undertaken by a Government Department in Ireland and represents one of the leading impact evaluations underway in the Public Sector. To date the research programme has included:

• two papers have been published based on quantitative baseline survey i.e. information about participants lives before they received the first BIA payment;
• two impact assessments have been published to date and my Department is currently preparing a report examining the first 24 months of the scheme, due to be published over the summer months; and
• a qualitative research paper, written by an independent researcher, was also published which collects the experiences of 50 BIA recipients, who were interviewed by a sociologist.