As Ireland’s $1,500-a-month basic income pilot program for creatives nears its end in February, officials have to answer a simple question: Is it worth it?
With four months to go, they say the answer is yes.
Earlier this month, Ireland’s government announced its 2026 budget, which includes “a successor to the pilot Basic Income Scheme for the Arts to begin next year” among its expenditures.
Ireland is just one of many places experimenting with guaranteed basic income programs, which provide recurring, unrestricted payments to people in a certain demographic. These programs differ from a universal basic income, which would provide payments for an entire population.
Im not wholly knowledgeable on UBI but I imagine you can still make money on top of the basic income. Like as an artist you can still sell works, do commissions and whatnot you just dont have to stress nearly as much about covering the basics when works dont sell and there are gaps in customers. You still can have savings and the like. Best cases at some point housing would be cheap enough that one could realistically buy a house outright with good financial planning instead of it being owned by a bank