Passing the Defamation Bill, the redevelopment of the GPO, "stable and sufficient funding for RTÉ" and an assessment of the Basic Income for the Arts scheme are some of the key points for the arts and culture sector in the draft Programme for Government.
In a section called 'Enriching our Society and Culture', the government pledges to support culture, creativity and the arts.
The first question for the arts community as they read this document will centre on a commitment, if any, to the Basic Income for the Arts which has been running on a pilot scheme since October 2022.
The first pledge made in this section references that scheme, stating that "the government will assess the Basic Income for the Arts' pilot to maximise its impact".
This will be seen as a low-key response to a scheme that is proving popular with the arts community and one for which they had advocated enthusiastically.
It was rolled out as a three-pilot scheme initially and it relates to 2,000 artists and arts' workers who presently receive a weekly basic income of €325.
Funding in the last Budget was provided until after the initial scheme ended pending review and here, the programme has committed to that review.
For the film sector, the continuation of the Section 481 film tax credit to support film and unscripted productions will be broadly welcomed.
Acknowledged as a key support in unpredictable times for this industry, ongoing supports such as this, and the commitment to examine options to introduce sector specific "measures for the visual effects sector" will be noted too.
Maintaining and growing funding for the Arts Council, Culture Ireland, and other organisations that support both national and international artistic endeavours will be seen as hugely positive.
In 2024’s Budget, the Arts Council funding remained static at €140m - a disappointing figure for the council which had been advocating for an increase that reached €160m.
This news will be seen as a positive sign to the council.
'Culture cards'
In September 2024, Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne had proposed the idea of ‘Culture Cards’ to be given to Irish residents on their 18th birthday.
The Programme for Government makes reference to this idea when it says it will launch an "examination of the introduction of a culture card for 16 and 17-year-olds".
The idea of rolling out a culture card has been floating around for some time now.
In addition to Mr Byrne’s suggestion, in August 2024, Sinn Féin launched its proposal to offer a €130 card to encourage young people to support children's participation in sport and culture.
Recent surveys have shown that the numbers of young adults attending live arts events have fallen significantly since Covid-19, so the introduction of this card will be appreciated by the arts and culture sector.
Redevelopment of the GPO, nighttime economy and commemorations
The commitment to redevelop the GPO as a historic landmark will be a welcome addition to the tourist, cultural and heritage trail for both Irish residents and international visitors alike.
Other interesting commitments range from an "establishing an Irish town of culture" programme, to ensuring all national cultural institutions develop a programme for Transition Year students.
The nighttime economy advocates will be satisfied that the issue is prominent in this next section, with promises to support the work of the nighttime economy unit to deliver upon "the recommendations of the taskforce".
There is a pledge to enact legislation to update licensing laws, promoting the development of a modern and diverse nighttime economy, thus reflecting ongoing calls.
Commemorations are another theme referenced in this section, however the exact commitments are unclear as of yet.
There are suggestions that "amongst the events which the government could mark" are - in 2025, the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O’Connell, and in 2027, the birth of Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington and the death of Constance Markievicz.
The media and RTÉ
The opening line in this section lays out the Government’s promise that it "is committed to a strong, independent media sector".
In this Programme for Government, it is stated that the government will "ensure stable, sufficient funding for RTÉ and other public service broadcasters".
The pledge goes on to clarify that the government will respect "RTÉ’s independence" while ensuring that necessary reforms are carried out in tandem with funding, to secure a sustainable future for public service media.
Also, in terms of RTÉ, the programme states that it will enact new legislation to ensure that "the corporate governance model in RTÉ is open and transparent".
This issue has been central for RTÉ itself, with it being described "as a priority" in its own document ‘A New Direction’ 2025 – 2029’.
In that document, RTÉ Chair Terence O’Rourke stated that "we will be implementing improved governance standards, both at Board level and across the organisation".
With RTÉ’s move to the remit of the Comptroller and Auditor General, this reference confirms the government’s ongoing desire to see transparency in corporate governance within RTÉ.
Defamation Bill rollout
The Programme for Government also addresses the Defamation Bill, pledging to pass it to "balance" freedom of expression with protections for individuals’ good name and reputation.
This will include safeguards against SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation) suits to prevent misuse of defamation laws to stifle public interest reporting.
The programme also includes a reference to "funding a national counter disinformation strategy".
There are no details provided as to the manner in which this could be rolled out.
