Thomas Gould
Ceist:57. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the actions he has undertaken in his role to promote Ireland’s republican history. [63076/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommemorative Events
Ceisteanna (57)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department provides a supportive and facilitative approach to commemorations and seeks to acknowledge all facets of our history. Through the Commemorations Unit the Department works with key stakeholders and project partners to create interesting and creative ways that facilitates audiences to engage with the events, themes and personalities of our past.
To ensure an appropriate approach to commemorations the Government sought independent advice and guidance. This was primarily provided by the Expert Advisory Group on Centenary Commemorations (EAG) in consultation with the All-Party Group on Commemorations and other key stakeholders. The guidelines and principles established by the Group continues to guide the State’s approach to commemorations. New guidelines and principals are currently being developed by the Commemorations Advisory Committee established earlier this year and will be published next year.
Each year I also make a funding allocation available to all local authorities for the development of community-led commemorative programming. Through this allocation local communities are supported as they identify and decide how to mark significant historical local events and personalities. All events supported by the Department are required to be in-keeping with the principles of commemorations and are at the discretion of the local authority.
Artists' Remuneration
Ceisteanna (58)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:58. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider increasing the rates of remuneration for artists who will be chosen to avail of the basic income for the arts scheme. [64593/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot as part of Budget 2026. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by Government, this is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision.
Eligibility criteria and parameters for a successor scheme have not been finalised. The cost of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme was €35m for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate, with each recipient receiving €325 a week. There were over 8,200 eligible applicants to the pilot scheme in 2022. To have funded all those eligible at that rate would have cost approximately €139m per year.
The research has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact the BIA has had for those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector. The BIA successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who will receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector.
With an allocation of €18.27m in my Department’s 2026 Estimate, I look forward to the design and delivery of the successor scheme next year.
I can confirm that the BIA pilot scheme will end in February 2026, which is when the final pilot payment will be made to the current cohort of recipients. While eligibility is not yet finalised, a new cohort of recipients will be selected based on eligible applications for the successor scheme, so therefore it will not be the same 2,000 recipients.
Stakeholder consultation and engagement with other relevant Government Departments on the design of the new scheme is ongoing to determine details such as the duration, eligibility and selection method, the details of which have not yet been decided. Once the parameters of the scheme have been agreed by Cabinet I intend to publish them.
Artists' Remuneration
Ceisteanna (59)
Willie O'Dea
Ceist:59. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if supports will remain in place for those in receipt of the basic income for the arts payment for the period between the end of the pilot scheme and the commencement of a successor scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64603/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot as part of Budget 2026. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by Government, this is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision.
Eligibility criteria and parameters for a successor scheme have not been finalised. The cost of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme was €35m for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate, with each recipient receiving €325 a week. There were over 8,200 eligible applicants to the pilot scheme in 2022. To have funded all those eligible at that rate would have cost approximately €139m per year.
The research has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact the BIA has had for those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector. The BIA successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who will receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector.
With an allocation of €18.27m in my Department’s 2026 Estimate, I look forward to the design and delivery of the successor scheme next year. This amount will allow for the funding of the extension to the current recipients to February 2026 and will allow me to fund new recipients later in 2026.
I can confirm that the BIA pilot scheme will end in February 2026, which is when the final pilot payment will be made to the current cohort of recipients. While eligibility is not yet finalised, a new cohort of recipients will be selected based on eligible applications for the successor scheme, so therefore it will not be the same 2,000 recipients.
Stakeholder consultation and engagement with other relevant Government Departments on the design of the new scheme is ongoing to determine details such as the duration, eligibility and selection method, the details of which have not yet been decided. Once the parameters of the scheme have been agreed by Government I intend to publish them.
Question No. 60 answered with Question No. 30.
Sport and Recreational Development
Ceisteanna (61)
Malcolm Byrne
Ceist:61. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to provide an update on the national swimming strategy. [64151/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Ireland’s first National Swimming Strategy sets out a vision to provide everyone in our country with an opportunity to swim. It includes an Action Plan containing over 50 actions across five thematic strands, focusing on providing improved facilities, increasing access for people with disabilities, improving the culture of inclusion, better coaching supports, increasing safety awareness and providing a pathway that allows for the nurturing and development of potential high performers.
The public consultation that informed the development of the Strategy suggested that existing swimming pool stock is insufficient and, as a result, a key focus of the Strategy is on providing improved facilities. There is a specific action in the strategy to complete an in-depth analysis of swimming pool provision within Ireland with particular reference to identifying gaps in provision. Swim Ireland, the National Governing Body for swimming, is currently undertaking an analysis of the type and nature of swimming pool ownership in the country and will publish a report in this regard in the coming period. This report will be central to the future development of swimming pool facilities.
In support of the National Swimming Strategy, additional funding of €500,000 was provided to Swim Ireland in 2024 for the deployment of swimming activators to work within local authority areas, focusing on increasing participation amongst under-represented groups and improving coaching supports and facilities. This additional funding will also be provided in 2025 and 2026 – totalling €1.5 million over three years.
Funded under the Healthy Ireland Initiative, and administered by Sport Ireland, the Outdoor Swimming Infrastructure Fund recently allocated €330,000 to 17 separate outdoor swimming facilities nationwide. The funding will make these approved swimming locations more accessible by supporting the provision and upgrade of handrails, swim shelters, access ladders, safety notice boards, shower facilities, and beach wheelchairs. Details of these allocations are available on the Government’s website on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-for-public-health-wellbeing-and-national-drugs-strategy-jennifer-murnane-oconnor-announces-successful-applicants-for-330000-outdoor-swimming-fund/.
My Department continues to provide capital funding support for new and existing swimming pools through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund and the Community Sports Facilities Fund. I encourage prospective applicants to review the guidelines of both schemes, as part of their preparatory process for future rounds.
Responsibility for the delivery of the National Swimming Strategy’s Action Plan is shared across Government Departments, State Agencies and other key stakeholders, including local authorities. Earlier this year, Sport Ireland established an oversight group of key stakeholders to give leadership, policy direction, prioritisation and mobilisation of resources to support, monitor and measure the Strategy’s implementation, which will, I am sure, strengthen and support the sustainable growth and development of swimming in Ireland for years to come.
Sport and Recreational Development
Ceisteanna (62)
Emer Currie
Ceist:62. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the actions his Department is taking to increase female participation in all sports from grassroots to elite levels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64631/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Female participation in sport is an important element of both the National Sports Policy 2018-2027 and the associated Sports Action Plan 2024-2027 and represents a core priority for me and my Department.
This Government is committed to a "Sport for All" approach aimed at ensuring that all persons can partake equally in sport and physical activity, regardless of gender. This commitment is reaffirmed in the Programme for Government and is also reflected in Sport Ireland's Women in Sport Policy.
The Women in Sport (WIS) funding programme, administered by Sport Ireland, was first established in 2005 and since then over €30 million has been invested through the National Governing Bodies of Sport and the Local Sports Partnerships.
This year Sport Ireland announced an investment of €4 million under the WIS Programme for 2025. This is vital funding to support sporting bodies, and my Department will continue to support programmes to increase women’s participation in all sports and to progress strategic objectives for women in sport across all areas including active participation, coaching, officiating, and leadership.
The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) Report for 2024, shows that sport participation levels among women is at 47%, an increase of one percentage point since 2023, and the gender gap is now less than 3%.
I will continue to tackle issues to ensure that women’s sport reaches parity with its male equivalent and that females do not drop out of sport due to a lack of adequate training facilities or access to opportunities.
Pension Provisions
Ceisteanna (63)
Edward Timmins
Ceist:63. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the An Post pension increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64604/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under section 46 of the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983, the Minister for Culture, Communication and Sport with the concurrence of the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, approves any superannuation schemes submitted by An Post. The operation of the schemes is a matter between the management of An Post, staff representatives and the trustees of the schemes.
In accordance with the Act and the relevant Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies, An Post must seek Ministerial approval from both Ministers to increase pensions and deferred pensions for members of the An Post superannuation scheme. Section 2.13 of the Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies Superannuation and Remuneration annex sets out that NewERA advice should be sought in respect of pension amendment proposals, as is appropriate in their role as commercial and financial advisors to the Ministers.
On 23 October 2025, An Post wrote to my Department requesting consent for an increase to pensions in payment and deferred pensions, arising from its agreements with employee representative groups. It is not possible, at this point, to set out the specific timeframe within which the decision-making process will be concluded by both shareholding Ministers in respect of increases submitted for consent. It should be recognised that the time taken for the pension approval process is necessary to ensure that robust governance procedures are in place.
Departmental Funding
Ceisteanna (64)
James O'Connor
Ceist:64. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will outline the funding from Budget 2026 for local and community radio stations across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64586/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Local and community radio stations play a vital role in providing valuable public service content to the Irish public, contributing to a diversity and a plurality of voices in the media sector.
The Programme for Government acknowledges that local and national independent broadcasters perform a vital public service and deserve to have this recognised.
€16m in Exchequer funding was secured in Budget 2026 for the continuation and enhancement of the Media Fund Schemes. This comprises €6m for the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes and €4m for the Digital Transformation Scheme. Local and community radio is eligible to receive funding from all of these schemes. I also secured €5m for the News Reporting Scheme, which includes €3m of ring-fenced funding for the commercial radio sector.
Furthermore, I was successful in achieving €1m for the development of a Community Media Scheme. This reflects the invaluable role that community media plays in community engagement, cohesion, and in the promotion of social inclusion in communities across the State.
Coimisiún na Meán are progressing a body of research into current community media supports. This research, when complete, will inform future policy decisions taken including in relation to the design and implementation of the Community Media Scheme. The research will also look at ways to ensure community media are well positioned to access schemes on a more even playing field with larger media counterparts.
In addition to the €16m for the Media Fund Schemes, funding of €1.465m was secured for the Sound and Vision Scheme, which provides ongoing vital support to local and community radio and which will be added to the estimated €14m that the Scheme is likely to receive through the TV licence fee.
The suite of Schemes now in operation under the Media Fund cater to all parts of the media sector, including supporting the provision of high-quality public interest journalism through the Local Democracy, Courts Reporting and News Reporting Scheme along with supporting the ability of the sector to invest in digital skills and development through the Digital Transformation Scheme.
As Minister, I understand the important role that local and community radio plays in our society. The supports provided, and in particular the new dedicated Community Media Scheme, will ensure the continued provision of essential support for local and community radio nationwide.
Artists' Remuneration
Ceisteanna (65)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:65. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider expanding the number of artists who will be chosen to avail of the basic income for the arts scheme. [64592/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot as part of Budget 2026. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by Government, this is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision.
Eligibility criteria and parameters for a successor scheme have not been finalised. The cost of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme was €35m for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate, with each recipient receiving €325 a week. There were over 8,200 eligible applicants to the pilot scheme in 2022. To have funded all those eligible at that rate would have cost approximately €139m per year.
The research has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact the BIA has had for those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector. The BIA successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who will receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector.
With an allocation of €18.27m in my Department’s 2026 Estimate, I look forward to the design and delivery of the successor scheme next year.
I can confirm that the BIA pilot scheme will end in February 2026, which is when the final pilot payment will be made to the current cohort of recipients. While eligibility is not yet finalised, a new cohort of recipients will be selected based on eligible applications for the successor scheme, so therefore it will not be the same 2,000 recipients.
Stakeholder consultation and engagement with other relevant Government Departments on the design of the new scheme is ongoing to determine details such as the duration, eligibility and selection method, the details of which have not yet been decided. Once the parameters of the scheme have been agreed by Cabinet I intend to publish them.
Sport and Recreational Development
Ceisteanna (66)
Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Ceist:66. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the integration of organisations (details supplied). [64540/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am very supportive of the process of integration which reflects much of what is already happening at club level and will further ensure parity of treatment for all players within the Gaelic Games family, which is the subject of the question.
I understand that good progress is being made on the integration process under the leadership of Mary McAleese and the Steering Group on Integration. I hope that full integration will be achieved by the stated target of 2027 and that it will deliver a unified National Governing Body for Gaelic Games that all feel welcome in.
Ultimately, however, the Gaelic Games organisations are independent and autonomous and the issue of integration is fundamentally one for the organisations themselves and their members.
Sports Organisations
Ceisteanna (67)
Joanna Byrne
Ceist:67. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will act on the call by an organisation (details supplied) for the removal of the Israeli Basketball Association from the FIBA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64397/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
National governing bodies of sport (NGBs) and international sporting federations, the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in the case of basketball, are independent, autonomous bodies responsible for the governance of their own sports, including the organisation of sporting fixtures. The Government has no role in determining who can participate in international competitions organised by international sporting federations. Such federations are responsible for determining the composition of their membership in line with their own internal rules.
NGBs and international sporting federations are independent, autonomous bodies responsible for the governance of their own sports, including the organisation of sporting fixtures. The Government and Sport Ireland have no role in determining or supporting the organisation of such fixtures.
On a wider note, I can say that Ireland welcomes the agreement on the first phase of the 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza. The first phase of the plan, the ceasefire and hostage release agreement, is an important step on a road to peace. Our immediate focus must be on ensuring humanitarian aid into and throughout Gaza at scale. Ireland stands ready to play our part in working towards a sustainable peace between Israel and Palestine through the implementation of the two-State solution.
Sport and Recreational Development
Ceisteanna (68)
Peter 'Chap' Cleere
Ceist:68. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps his Department is taking to encourage the over 60s to participate in sport. [64541/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
This Government is committed to a "Sport for All" approach aimed at ensuring that all persons can partake equally in sport and physical activity regardless of gender, age, disability, or social-economic status, or membership of any minority group.
Age & Opportunity is the?national?organisation that works to empower people to reach their full potential as they age. One of its goals is to facilitate opportunities for sport and physical activity for older people. To support this goal, Sport Ireland, which is the statutory body for the development of sport, allocated Age & Opportunity €630,000 in core funding in 2025.
The Age & Opportunity Active National Grant Scheme provides significant funding for sport and physical activity amongst older persons. More than than €8 million has been distributed though the scheme since its inception and this year it is providing €300,000 to support sport and physical activities run by 988 groups and organisations. The scheme, a combined initiative by Age & Opportunity and Sport Ireland, funds diverse activities nationwide including pickleball, kurling, tai chi and aqua aerobics.
Sport Ireland also allocates funding to its network of 29 Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) operating across Ireland. These LSPs undertake a wide range of actions with the aim of increasing sport and physical activity participation levels in their local communities.
In particular, the LSPs target vulnerable and disadvantaged groups in society, including older adults. In 2025, the LSP network received €11,945,000 in core funding. LSPs deliver a suite of programmes for older adults across the country through walking programmes, exercise classes, dance classes and taster sessions for various sports
LSPs provide funding through club development grants each year to support clubs with a focus on a number of target groups, older adults being one. This funding supports clubs to develop programmes and specific participation and volunteering opportunities to engage older adults.
All 29 LSPs have a dedicated Sports Inclusion Disability Officer supporting people with disabilities to get more active. This role incorporates a lot of work with older adults engaging in programmes such as chair yoga, tea dances, and chair aerobics.
Sport and Recreational Development
Ceisteanna (69)
Tony McCormack
Ceist:69. Deputy Tony McCormack asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the measures his Department is taking to increase youth participation in sport, particularly in disadvantaged areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64110/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
This Government is committed to a "Sport for All" approach aimed at ensuring that all persons can partake equally in sport and physical activity regardless of gender, age, disability, or socio-economic status, or membership of any minority group.
Sport Ireland's network of Local Sports Partnerships (LSPs) plays a crucial role in implementing the National Sports Policy and increasing participation levels in sport and physical activity particularly in underrepresented groups. The LSPs deliver targeted programmes to range of cohorts including young persons, the unemployed and those living in disadvantaged communities.
In 2025, the LSP network received €11,945,000 in core funding and this was supplemented by additional investment from other funding streams, including Dormant Accounts Funding (DAF) and the European Social Fund (ESF+) Programme.
Through DAF, LSPs can connect national funding priorities with local community needs, ensuring funding reaches the groups, clubs and people that need it most. Funding totaling €1.32 million was allocated in 2025 to support 29 existing Community Sports and Physical Activity Hubs along with funding of four new Hubs. Led by LSPs, the Hubs will promote local engagement in sport and physical activity to assist disadvantaged areas. An additional €280,000 will go to the Urban Outdoor Adventure Initiatives, a fund that aims to provide outdoor adventure sports opportunities for disadvantaged communities and at-risk youth.
Sport Ireland has successfully applied to the European Social Fund (ESF+) Programme 2021-2027 and has been awarded €11 million for implementation of a social innovation and inclusion programme over the lifetime of the Programme. The ESF+ funding has enabled Sport Ireland to establish the Sport4Empowerment (S4E) Programme which aims to use sport and physical activity as tool for social inclusion and empowerment. S4E targets four population cohorts, including youth at risk and persons from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Programme will see the phased employment of ESF+ Social Innovation in Sport Officers in each of the 29 LSPs. The Officers will be responsible for the piloting and implementation of range of new targeted programmes which aim to enhance the wellbeing, education, and economic prospects of participants.
Post Office Network
Ceisteanna (70)
Joe Cooney
Ceist:70. Deputy Joe Cooney asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he will consider permitting community social enterprises to operate post offices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60299/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
An Post has statutory responsibility for the State’s postal service and the post office network. An Post is a commercial State company with a mandate to act commercially and, as such, day to day operational matters, including decisions in relation to the size, distribution, and future of the network, are matters for the Board and the management of the company directly.
Operational matters relating to the post office network are a matter for the Board and management of An Post and and as such the matter to which you refer is not one in which I, as Minister, have a role.
Sports Funding
Ceisteanna (71)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:71. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he is aware that darts players cannot access funding through Sports Ireland. [63077/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Sport Ireland, which is funded by this Department, is the statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation at all levels and raising standards, including the allocation of funding under its various programmes. Sport Ireland does not provide direct funding for clubs or individuals but channels the funding through the relevant National Governing Body (NGB).
There is no discretionary funding available to my Department through which financial assistance can be provided to darts players or other individual athletes.
Sport Ireland operates a formal recognition process for organisations wishing to become eligible for support as NGBs. The recognition criteria set out the minimum requirements for NGB recognition and the additional criteria that may need to be met to receive financial investment from Sport Ireland.
Decisions relating to NGB recognition are a matter for Sport Ireland and I have no role in the process.
Any organisation wishing to gain Sport Ireland recognition as an NGB is advised to engage directly with Sport Ireland which can advise as to the application process. Sport Ireland can be contacted directly in this regard via e-mail at recognition@sportireland.ie or by telephone on 01-8608800.
Question No. 72 answered orally.
Sports Facilities
Ceisteanna (73)
Sinéad Gibney
Ceist:73. Deputy Sinéad Gibney asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the steps his Department is taking to expand accessible municipal and publicly owned swimming pool facilities across the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64388/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Ireland’s first National Swimming Strategy, published in August 2024, sets out a vision to provide everyone in our country with an opportunity to swim. The public consultation that informed the development of the Strategy suggested that existing swimming pool stock is insufficient and, as a result, a key focus of the Strategy is on providing improved facilities.
Swim Ireland, the National Governing Body for swimming, is currently undertaking an analysis of the type and nature of swimming pool ownership in the country, with a particular focus on identifying gaps in provision. Swim Ireland will publish a report on its analysis in the coming period, and this report will be central to the future development of swimming pool facilities in Ireland.
In support of the Strategy, additional funding of €500,000 was provided to Swim Ireland in 2024 for the deployment of swimming activators to work within local authority areas, focusing on increasing participation amongst under-represented groups and improving coaching supports and facilities. This additional funding will also be provided in 2025 and 2026 – totalling €1.5 million over three years.
Responsibility for the delivery of the Strategy’s Action Plan will be shared across Government Departments, State Agencies and other key stakeholders, including local authorities. Sport Ireland has established an oversight group of key stakeholders to give leadership, policy direction, prioritisation and mobilisation of resources to support, monitor and measure the Strategy’s implementation.
Capital support for new swimming pools, and the refurbishment of existing pools, continues to be provided by my Department through the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund which, to date, has allocated €28.9 million to nine swimming pool projects.
Artists' Remuneration
Ceisteanna (74)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:74. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when the application process for the new basic income for artist scheme will be opened; the work that has been carried out on the criteria and conditions of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [64627/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I was delighted to have secured an allocation for a successor scheme to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot as part of Budget 2026. While the detail of the future scheme will need to be agreed by Government, this is a major milestone for the arts in Ireland and I am particularly pleased that the research my Department conducted provided Government with a clear evidence base upon which to make that decision.
The cost of the Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme was €35m for a full calendar year for 2,000 artists to participate, with each recipient receiving €325 a week. There were over 8,200 eligible applicants to the pilot scheme in 2022. To have funded all those eligible at that rate would have cost approximately €139m per year.
The research has consistently demonstrated both the positive impact the BIA has had for those in receipt of it and how difficult it is to work as an artist in Ireland given the income precarity prevalent in the sector. The BIA successor scheme will help to sustain the careers of those artists who will receive it and retain their talent in the arts sector.
With an allocation of €18.27m in my Department’s 2026 Estimate, I look forward to the design and delivery of the successor scheme next year.
I can confirm that the BIA pilot scheme will end in February 2026, which is when the final pilot payment will be made to the current cohort of recipients. While eligibility is not yet finalised, a new cohort of recipients will be selected based on eligible applications for the successor scheme, so therefore it will not be the same 2,000 recipients.
Stakeholder consultation and engagement with other relevant Government Departments on the design of the new scheme is ongoing to determine details such as the duration, eligibility and selection method, the details of which have not yet been decided. Once the parameters of the scheme have been agreed by Government I intend to publish them.
Questions Nos. 75 to 79, inclusive, answered orally.
Hospital Services
Ceisteanna (80)
Danny Healy-Rae
Ceist:80. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health the efforts being made to address the issue of discharging people from acute hospitals, in particular elderly people, who need a home care package in place in order to manage at home (details supplied). [64998/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Improving access to home support is a Government priority. The 2025 budget is the largest ever, at approximately €840 million for 24 million hours of home support. At the end of September approximately 1.3 million more hours had been delivered than in the same period in 2024. We had also exceeded the target to deliver services to 60,000 people for the first time.
The HSE Urgent and Emergency Care Plan ensures that there is safe and timely discharge to the most appropriate setting. When a person has been assessed as needing home support, this must be in place before they can return home. As of the 11th of November, there were 41 people in hospital who were medically fit to be discharged and needed home support. 28 people were waiting for a carer to be assigned, the rest were waiting on assessments or funding approval.
When allocating home support, priority is given to those in the community with acute needs and to those assessed and waiting in acute hospitals who can return home with supports. Where appropriate, transitional care funding is also available to enable people to move from the hospital to a nursing home temporarily. This might be needed if someone is waiting for a carer to become available or they are waiting for home adaptations to be completed.