Clare TD Fears Basic Income For The Arts Draw Will Produce "Urban-Heavy Result"

A Clare TD fears artists in this county will inadvertently be discriminated against in the selection process of a Government support scheme. The 2026 to 2029 edition of the Basic Income for the Arts Scheme will provide €325 a week to 2,000 artists selected at random. A total of 54 Clare artists benefitted from the pilot version of the scheme introduced in 2022. Speaking in the Dáil, Bodyke Fine Gael Deputy Joe Cooney believes choose recipients through a random draw will produce an "urban-heavy result".