Too much artistic licence at Aosdána
Established by Charles Haughey in 1981, Aosdána behaves as a secret society, with no obligation towards public accountability. It has no public mandate, other than the distribution of tax-free stipends to recipients it chooses. This year, €2.6m of taxpayers’ money is being paid to 157 artists, comprising 60% of Aosdána membership.
Many of these artists are unknown to the public, and many others are elderly and past their creative prime. Their stipends are paid to ‘honour’ past accomplishments; not to stimulate new output, nor engage with society. Earnings from works of art are exempt from income tax.
The Aosdána stipend has increased from €272 per week, in 2009, to €330 per week, in 2014. It is means-tested, but the amount of disregarded, weekly ‘other income’ allowed to Aosdána recipients has increased from €408 per week, in 2009, to €495 per week. What should the 963,000 recipients of the State pension (non-contributory), whose weekly rate has stagnated since 2009, and whose means-tested weekly income must not exceed €200, make of this client-centred favouritism?
Should the State also provide life-long, tax-free stipends to reward the past glory of other pillars of society, from science, the humanities and social sciences? What constitutes prestige, distinction and eminence in the arts?
L’Académie Francaise, upon which Aosdána is conceptually based, comprises a membership of 40 persons in a country with a population of 63m. Is there any reason not to believe that the number of individuals capable of important, prestigious artistic output, and of making a credible difference to the stature of the arts in Ireland, is closer to 25 than 250 persons? Should Minister Deenihan be spending taxpayers’ money and public debt more strategically?
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