Only four people in the Irish Actors' Equity union have permanent full-time jobs, the Oireachtas Social and Family Affairs Committee was told yesterday.
The union has approximately 1,500 members, of whom up to 80 per cent are unemployed at any one time, TDs and senators heard.
Most performing artists, who include actors, designers, dancers and stage managers, cannot get mortgages because lending institutions consider them high-risk.
Many actors, who would have been at the top of their careers and famous in their day, end their lives in penury, and often appeals have to be made to the union's hardship fund to pay their funeral expenses.
Equity's general secretary, Ms Jane Boushell, said the professional status of the performing artist had not been recognised by successive governments, although there was a certain amount of "lip service" .
Speaking at a presentation to the committee, Ms Boushell called for a new way of dealing with performing artists under social welfare legislation. This included allowing full benefits for three years.
The union also seeks income averaging, with tax assessed over a three-year period to allow for peaks and valleys in employment.
Ms Boushell said the nature of the work was sporadic and casual and many well-known and famous performing artists had to "sign on".
When performing artists went for auditions they were seeking work, and she stressed the need for social welfare offices to accept this.
Many actors lost their medical card, even if they were working for only four to six weeks and often had difficulty in getting it back when they reapplied. The union is also seeking concessions for rental supplement.
TDs and senators from all parties expressed their shock at the financial predicament facing actors and their unanimous support for the changes the union is seeking in social welfare rules.
The committee chairman, Mr Willie Penrose TD (Labour) said the commitee would write to the Minister for Social and Family Affairs and the Minister for Finance. There were a number of issues that could be dealt with quite easily.
The actor Robert Carrickford, best known for his role as Stephen Brennan in Glenroe, said he was "flabbergasted" that the committee had listened and "that you took in what we said".
He said that for the first time in the 40 years he had been a member of Equity, the Government or its representatives had listened to the actors' union.
Mr Charlie O'Connor TD (FF) said he was "astounded" when a well-known actor recently attended one of his Tallaght clinics about these difficultes.
He said actors were struggling to survive and he agreed with Equity's president, Ms Kathleen Barrington, that a clear directive should be issued to social welfare officials so that Equity members would not have to go to politicians to make a special case for them.
