Speaking outside Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin today Richard Boyd Barrett TD briefed the media on the party’s Arts election manifesto.
Richard was joined by People Before Profit Dublin Central candidate Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin. Eoghan was awarded best folk singer at the RTÉ Folk Awards and Amhránaí na Bliana (Singer of the Year) at Gradam Ceoil TG4 this year.
He was also joined by People Before Profit Dublin Rathdown candidate Síomha Ní Aonghusa. Síomha is a singer and comedian who performed her one woman comedy cabaret 30 Under 30 at this year's Edinburgh fringe festival.
Deputy Boyd Barrett said “Ireland has an extraordinarily rich cultural history of literature, drama, music, and dance among the many other arts. These are significant cultural elements that help us establish our identity and bring joy to the people. Yet our investment in Arts and Culture is way behind other EU countries. Huge numbers of our artists, actors, musicians, film workers and crews suffer low incomes and insecure employment conditions. Frequently artists are unable to create due to the lack of funding or due to their economic conditions.
In response, People Before Profit commit to bring funding for cultural services, broadcasting, and publishing services closer to the EU average of 0.9% of GDP. In total, additional funding going to arts and culture will be €370 million.”
Dublin Central candidate Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin said “We welcome the successful Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme and we will make this a permanent feature of government expenditure. In 2022, the initial year of Basic Income for Arts, there were about 8,200 applicants while only 2,000 received funding. We would make Basic Income for Artists available to all eligible applicants. Further, we would expand the definition of artists to be eligible for funding to include most forms of creative arts. Assuming that funding would be allocated to 9,000 applicants in 2025, then this would require an additional €109 million.
Lack of housing is another serious barrier to artists being able to create. The housing crisis requires a society-wide response, so we would establish a state building company to increase the commencement of social and genuinely affordable housing from 10,000 a year to 35,000 homes per year.”
Dublin Rathdown candidate Síomha Ní Aonghusa said “there is a huge shortage of artist spaces at the same time as there is record vacant property across the state. People Before Profit would CPO vacant property to use for artists’ studios and spaces. We would establish a network of publicly owned national film and TV studios to develop a film industry of scale and excellence, with secure and quality employment and training for those seeking a career in the industry.
We would also double the current funding for measures to enable participation by people with disabilities, as outlined by the National Campaign for the Arts and the Music and Entertainment Association of Ireland in their briefing document for 2025.”
Deputy Boyd Barrett said “The regressive TV license fee revenue and advertising and sponsorship income should be replaced with 100% public funding based on new corporate tax levies on the Information and Communication Technology sector and a ‘Big Tech Tax’ on the profits of the largest tech companies. These levies should be set at a level to raise at least €1bn, with €500m for RTÉ and €500m going to other public service media e.g. print, local radio, production companies, digital media etc.
We would cap pay to end excessive salaries for the few at the top in RTE, and end bogus self-employment and poverty pay and conditions, underpinned by mandatory trade union recognition. We would democratise RTE and radically reform the current Board to make it representative of RTE’s workers and civil society, with Board members subject to democratic recall.
Our Arts policy is People Before Profit’s ambitious plan to elevate Ireland’s literature, drama, music, and dance so they can be the source of identity and joy that they should be. Let's enable our artists to create.”