536. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 69926/26, the estimated timeframe for when applicants to the basic income for the arts will be informed as to whether or not they will receive the payment; and to provide an estimated timeframe for the issuing of the first payment. [73421/26]

In February this year I announced that the Government had approved a permanent successor to the Basic Income for the Arts pilot scheme and that 2,000 artists would be provided with funding of €325 per week for three years.  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 deadline for application to the Basic Income for the Arts 2026 - 2029 was 5pm on Tuesday 12th May, with over 10,000 applications received by the deadline.

I appreciate that applicants are eager to know the outcome, however, in order to protect the integrity of the scheme the assessment process is by necessity very intensive and time consuming. No two professional arts practices are the same and therefore the proofs supplied vary considerably.  The Department has commenced communication to applicants invited to participate in the scheme on Thursday 15 October. Due to the volume involved, successful applicants will be notified in tranches as assessments are completed.

My Department is processing the applications as promptly as possible and I anticipate that payments will commence shortly. All successful candidates will receive the full allocation of €325 per week for three years.