I propose to take Questions Nos. 336 and 337 together.
As part of a suite of supports for the live entertainment sector delivered by my Department during the pandemic, the Live Performance Support Schemes provided thousands of days of employment to hundreds of actors, musicians, crew and technicians in tandem with a pipeline of high quality and much needed entertainment for Irish audiences. The grants awarded helped to support employment and wellbeing opportunities across all genres including theatre, pantomime, music and circus performance.
Details of contracts between LPSS grantees and musicians or other service providers contracted by them would be of confidential nature and as such would not be a matter for my Department. Agreement between the performers regarding broadcast rights would be a matter for the entity contracting the artists. Therefore, copies of these contracts were not a requirement of the drawdown process. However, my Department reserved the right to seek documentation should it be deemed necessary.
Grantees were required to provide data related to the number of days employment generated by the scheme along with management confirmation of payment and a schedule of invoices. Proof of payment was also required as part of the drawdown of the grants to ensure that artists and crews were remunerated.