Artists' Remuneration
Seanad Éireann — 2026-07-08
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Nessa Cosgrove (LAB), Labour Panel

It is reassuring to hear that there is a commitment to continue it. I am delighted that it has been made permanent. It is hard enough, though, as not everyone is eligible. Praxis, the artists' union, would urge that anyone eligible should receive it. We need more art, not less. All jobs and workers are under threat from AI but creative workers are particularly vulnerable. We see how much we as a society lean on it. I believe there is research that shows that, for every euro spent on the basic income for the arts scheme, €1.39 is returned to the economy. That is an incredible figure. Artists are spending their money locally, bringing communities together through it. I hope the commitment will continue and we will look at extending it to anyone eligible.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-07-08/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:55:10+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-07-08