Richard Boyd Barrett demands more arts funding, taxi support
Richard Boyd Barrett spoke in the Dáil on 21 May 2020 about the impact of the COVID crisis on arts workers and taxi drivers, urging targeted emergency supports. He criticised a 1 million euro arts allocation compared with a 6.5 billion business package and called for extra arts funding and extensions of the COVID payment for affected workers.
Arts sector demands
The Deputy said the arts, on which the public had depended heavily during lockdown, received only 1 million euro and called that "pathetic." He asked the government to agree to the national campaign for the arts demand for 20 million euro extra funding this year and next year, to extend the COVID payment to those denied it because they were not working on 6 March, to continue payments until recovery, and to use the national broadcaster to support musicians and artists.
Contrast with business supports
The Deputy contrasted a 6.5 billion euro business package with the 1 million euro arts allocation. The Taoiseach replied that he could not make commitments in the Chamber but would give the proposals consideration, and said the 6.5 billion was available to businesses including arts and entertainment concerns and that the 1 million was funding for particular Arts Council projects.
Taxi drivers' plight and requests
The Deputy described the taxi sector as "absolutely decimated," saying 70 to 80% of drivers are off the road and noting that many drivers over 66 are still working because they were denied the COVID payment. He requested a specific package for taxi drivers, extension of the COVID payment to drivers over 66, retention of the payment as a minimum subsidy while drivers top up earnings, and a meeting between the minister and taxi representative groups to agree supports to keep 23,000 drivers with a livelihood.
Government reply and next steps
The minister noted that most taxi drivers are self-employed and that those whose income has fallen are entitled to the pandemic unemployment payment, which many drivers are likely receiving. He acknowledged the sector will need help, suggested adaptations to vehicles such as screens might be required, and welcomed engagement between the minister and the sector to identify measures and potential co-funding arrangements.
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Deputy Boyd Barrett. Mr Chair, I have raised repeatedly the plight of particular groups of workers who find their livelihoods and employment devastated as a result of the crisis. 2,000 Debenhams workers, English foreign language teachers, workers in the arts, music, live entertainment in the gig economy and taxi drivers, all of whom need specific roadmaps, specific packages of support. I want to zone in on two of them in my short time. First of all, the arts sector. Taoiseach, 6.5 billion is being given to big business in terms of grants and supports. The arts, on which we have depended more than ever in the last few months, got 1 million euro. Pathetic. This is an industry that faces a bleak, if any, future in the short to medium term, and we can only come up with a million euro. Will you agree to the national campaign for the arts demands for 20 million extra funding this year and next year to extend the COVID payment to those who were denied it because they weren't working on the 6th of March, to continue that payment, at least until these sectors recover, and indeed to use our national broadcaster to give particular support to musicians and artists? Yeah, thanks. Thanks, Deputy. I can't make those commitments here in the Chamber, but I certainly will give them consideration. In relation to the 6.5 billion for business, what the Deputy said is a little misleading. That is for business, and that includes, of course, the arts sector, the entertainment sector. I appreciate everyone in arts and entertainment isn't a business, but a lot are. You know, it's a huge industry as well. And, of course, that 6.5 billion is open to them as well. The 1 million provided was funding for particular projects through the Arts Council, but there is a huge amount of resources that arts, entertainment, leisure businesses can actually draw on, just like any other business can. Dijak, companies that are giving massive dividends, as I raised with the Minister yesterday, to their shareholders, making big profits, big multinationals, are benefiting from these schemes, whereas the arts gets 1 million euro. It's a stark contrast. But let me go on. The taxi drivers. Taxi drivers' industry has been absolutely decimated. 70 to 80% of people are off the road. You might be interested to know that the few number of taxi drivers who are on the road, many of them are over 66, because you've denied them the COVID payment. So they are the most vulnerable group of taxi drivers, and they're on the road because you won't give them the COVID payment. Because of this industry's link to mass gatherings, to sports, to tourism, and to the arts, which is similarly devastated and will be in the foreseeable future, they are in deep, they are in deep, deep trouble. So I am asking again for a specific package of financial supports for taxi drivers, to extend the COVID payment to taxi drivers who are over 66, to retain the COVID payment as a minimum subsidy for taxi drivers, but allow them to continue to work to top that up until their industry recovers at a point which we don't know when. And would the Minister agree to meet the representatives of the different taxi representative groups who are coming together as we speak, and want to meet with the Minister to discuss the specific packages and supports they need to keep 23,000 taxi drivers with some sort of livelihood and some sort of future? Thank you very much. That would be two benefits. In relation to taxi drivers, almost all of them are self-employed, and anyone who is self-employed who has seen their income drop is entitled to the pandemic unemployment payment. And I suspect there are thousands, if not tens of thousands, of taxi drivers who are in receipt of the pandemic unemployment payment, and they are entitled to that, and they should get it until such a time as they're able to get going again. I agree that the sector will need help. I don't know exactly what's going to need to be done, but I imagine it will require an adaption to the cars in some way, perhaps putting screens between the back and front or something like that. I don't know, but I certainly would welcome an engagement between Minister Ross and the sector to work out what needs to be done to allow taxis to get moving again, and what work would be carried out, and how we might help to co-fund it with them. I think that's a good idea. Thank you, Mr. missing a lot. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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