This question relates to those who will not be successful in availing of the basic income for artists scheme when the adjudication or selection is made after the scheme closes next week. What additional supports are being made available for all artists who are suffering, have suffered through the Covid-19 pandemic and suffered prior to the pandemic in terms of income?

I got no answer there to my question. I hope the Minister of State will be able to come back to it, because he appeared to be getting to the nub of it. It is welcome that 2,000 artists will avail of the new scheme. It will be interesting. Those in the control group will receive €650 for being in the group over a full year, which is also welcome. However, that leaves many thousands more artists who will continue to struggle after the pandemic, as they had prior to it. What are the plans to support their recovery, ad…

Go raibh maith ag an Aire Stáit. That was the answer I was hoping for but which I did not get in the first round. I wish those on the scheme well when it starts. It is to be hoped that we will learn lessons from it that can be addressed. The previous question addressed some of the pitfalls that have already been outlined. A total of €25 million is being diverted to 2,000 artists. I want to ask about additional money rather than the same money. Has additional money been set aside for other artists who do not avail o…

This case concerns the Metropolitan apartment complex in Kilmainham. It is one of many but this is where, this week, the residents got confirmation of news that they were expecting since January, which is that they could no longer use the underground car park or any of the storage facilities under the complex. The notice came from the fire chief, who had no alternative but to act, as he or she should act in every case where there is a danger and a blatant defect in the building structure, or where some problem is e…

Tá sé tábhachtach go leanann an grúpa seo ag obair agus go mbeidh sé chomh tapa agus is féidir. It is important that this happens as quickly as possible because there is a cost in the event of some of these complexes, as happened in Priory Hall, having to be closed. To vacate a complex such as this or others, where there is a fire defect, is a huge cost on residents or tenants, given the scarcity of accommodation in the city as it is. In some cases, the management company, residents or owners may be able to pursue …

Beidh an vóta air seo nuair a fhillfimid tar éis shos na Cásca, pé am a bheidh leagtha síos ansin dó.

Bogfaimid ar aghaidh anois go dtí an chéad cheist eile.

One speaker, please.

Let Deputy Murphy speak.

The Minister of State will have ten minutes to reply at the end of the debate.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. Mar chuid de Sheachtain na Gaeilge tá sé maith go bhfuil Gaeilge á labhairt sa Teach ach is trua nach bhfuil fócas ag an díospóireacht seo. Níl ann ach sraith ráitis. D'fhéadfaí féachaint air mar tokenism. …Ach, má táimid dáiríre faoin nGaeilge ba chóir dúinn díriú isteach ar an ábhar agus díospóireacht substaintiúil a bheith againn. Cén fáth nach mbeadh díospóireacht trí Ghaeilge ar an mBille Airgeadais, mar shampla? Léireodh sé sin don domhain go bhfuilimid dáirí…

Tá sé as láthair.

Baineann an cheist seo le scéim labhairt na Gaeilge, scéim a bhí ann suas go dtí 2011. An gcreideann an tAire Stáit gur seo ceann de na scéimeanna críochnúla gur chóir go mbeadh ann chun tomhais a dhéanamh ar leibhéal na Gaeilge agus chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do theaghlaigh sa Ghaeltacht?

Ceist mhór fhada a bhí ann agus tá a fhios agam go raibh roinnt di rialaithe as ord go déanach aréir. An rud a bhí i gceist sa cheist ná tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoin scéim mar a bhí sí. An gcreideann an tAire Stáit gur uirlis í a bheadh úsáideach amach anseo maidir le slat tomhais ó thaobh cé mhéad teaghlaigh atá ag tógáil clainne le Gaeilge? An bealach é gur féidir clainne nó teaghlaigh a mhealladh chun fanacht leis an nGaeilge i gceantair Ghaeltachta atá faoi léigear ag an mBéarla nó fiú siúd atá tar éis an Gha…

Aithním na tacaíochtaí praiticiúla a luaigh an tAire Stáit agus níl mé ag iarraidh cur as dóibh. Is anuas orthu sin a bheadh scéim labhairt na Gaeilge dá dtógfaí ar ais í. Ghlac an tAire Stáit leis, nuair a rinne sé tuarascáil taighde Thuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta a sheoladh anuraidh, go bhfuil géarchéim thromchúiseach ann i leith teangeolaíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Mar sin, tá ar an Stát díriú isteach ar conas is féidir leis teaghlaigh a mhealladh ar ais chuig an Ghaeilge, a mhealladh chun fanacht léi nó fiú siúd nach b…

This question is to give an account of the discussions to date with the Minister for Social Protection and her Department on the impact of her proposed basic income for artists pilot scheme on artists with disability and if she will work closely with the Minister to ensure the needs of artists with disabilities are fully taken into account prior to the roll-out of the basic income scheme for artists.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. It is interesting there have been eight meetings between both Departments, or at least that the Department of Social Protection was in attendance at seven of the eight meetings that were held. That is good news. It is to be hoped progress is being made because it can have a devastating effect on people with disabilities. Many questions need to be answered regarding other artists; those are for another day. The focus today is specifically on artists with disabilities who are concerned …

I welcome the Minister's commitment and that of others such as my colleague, Deputy Kerrane, who also raised questions on this issue. When will the discussions conclude? This scheme was supposed to be rolled out early in the first quarter. We are past the early part of the first quarter at this stage. The discussions around this issue need to conclude in order that reassurances can be given to those artists who wish to avail of the scheme or allow them at least to put their names forward and, it is hoped, be part o…

It is good that we are discussing this issue given that, as the document states, our towns and villages are vital economic, social and cultural assets. They provide us with a sense of space and of belonging. That is what the document says and nobody would deny that. Centrally, they are a home to businesses and to people living in them, and it is not just in rural Ireland that these towns and villages are important. Interestingly, the map contained in the document shows town centres with populations of more than 20,…

The Deputy was not interrupted by anybody.