Basic Income for the Arts to be made permanent in Budget 2026

The Basic Income for the Arts scheme is set to be made permanent in the Budget with a broader application criteria opening next year.

During its three-year pilot phase, the scheme has provided a weekly payment of €325 to 2,000 artists.

Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan has reportedly agreed with Government spending ministers to establish the scheme as a permanent fixture in the Budget.

While it is set to continue as it did during its three-year pilot phase, it could expand to 2,000 entrants when the new round opens in September 2026 if additional funding is acquired.

The application criteria is also set to be broadened to include more diverse artistic disciplines, with a full list in the works by the Department of Culture.

The size of the scheme is intended to incrementally grow to provide assistance to more artists as time goes on.

The scheme was introduced in 2022 with the aim of addressing challenges in the arts such as inadequate earnings and limited job security, and supporting artists' wellbeing and livelihoods.

A recent cost-benefit report revealed the scheme has produced over €100 million in social and economic benefits, and that for every €1 of public money invested, €1.39 was returned.

Last week, O'Donovan announced the findings of a public consultation showing that 97 per cent of the wider public and the arts sector support making the scheme permanent.

The full budget 2026 details are set to be announced later today.

According to reporting from RTÉ, the new budget will also include funding increases of over €10 million for sport, €33 million for the national broadband plan and €15 million for An Post.

It is expected that there will be additional income allocated to Tourism Ireland to market new direct flights to the country and to review the reopening of closed international offices.

Now in the Department of Enterprise, Fáilte Ireland is set to receive an expanded remit for food business.

The income disregard for the Carer's Allowance is set to increase by €375 for a single person (bringing the total to €1,000) and by €750 for a couple (bringing it to €2,000).

It is understood that mortgage interest relief will be extended for an additional year before being gradually phased out in 2027. Also expected is a €10 increase in the State pension and Social Protection rates.

There is expected to be a permanent reduction to college fees of €500.

A new scheme called DEIS+ is set to target schools with the highest rates of educational disadvantage for improvement.

Minister for Education Helen McEntee is expected to announce funding for 860 new special education teachers and 1,700 new special needs assistants.

Negotiations on welfare rates may result in a rise of €8 to weekly payments, to fuel allowance and income disregard.

Renters' tac credit is also expected to be extended for at least one additional year, though not increased from its current level.

VAT on new apartment sales is to be cut from 13.5 per cent to 9 per cent.

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan is set to receive funding for up to 1,000 new gardaí next year, as well as funding for new body cameras, youth diversion, victim support and domestic violence programmes.

Any additional money is expected to be allocated towards expediting immigration processing.