Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 26 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 6

Written Answers. - EU Media Programme.

Kathleen Lynch

Question:

16 Kathleen Lynch asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the total amount drawn down under the EU media programme in each of the years 1991 to 1995; the plans, if any, he has for promoting strategic alliances between Irish film producers and their European counterparts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15763/95]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

Irish practitioners have benefited considerably from the EU MEDIA Programme but, as payments are made directly to Irish practitioners by the 19 MEDIA projects which are located throughout the member states, I am not in a position to indicate what the total drawndown has been.

Irish producers enjoy strong contacts with their European counterparts by virtue of Ireland's participation in the EU MEDIA Programme since 1991 and in EURIMAGES since 1992.

The EU MEDIA Programme has had an overall budget of 200 million ecus for the five year period 1991-95. The programme has 19 separate projects designed to assist European film practitioners and to promote networking of practitioners across the member states. These projects include support for script-writing and screen-writing; for animation and the documentary genre; for film, television and video distribution; for training of practitioners, including producers and directors; for presence at international festivals; for exhibition of European works in cinemas; and for dubbing and sub-titling of works.

EURIMAGES, the Council of Europe's support fund for the co-production and distribution of creative cinematographic and audiovisual works requires that at least three European co-producers are involved in the making of a film. Direct assistance from the fund, up to a maximum of 20 per cent of a film's budget is available for eligible projects. In the three years since Ireland joined EURIMAGES, a total of ten feature films and one creative documentary involving Irish and other European co-producers have been assisted by the fund.

Looking to the future, I believe that Ireland's producers are now better placed, given the range of national incentives I have put in place, to negotiate deals with their European counterparts more easily. Moreover, I and my Department have played an important role in the elaboration of proposals for a Media II Programme with a budget of 310 million ecus to cover the five year period 1996-2000. It will be concentrated on three main areas of activity — training, development and distribution — reflecting the need to focus supports over the next five years. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have secured that the final text of the Media II decisioninter alia places an emphasis on support for countries with a low level of audiovisual production capacity and with less widely spoken languages; on small and medium sized companies; on continuous as well as initial training of practitioners; and on decentralisation of Media II from Brussels by the continued activity of media desks and media antennae in member states.

I am currently considering a proposal to accede to the Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-Production and, in the light of this consideration, I will decide whether there would be additional merit in pursuing separate, bilateral, agreements with individual European countries. I should say, however, that my strong interest in developing strategic alliances for Irish film producers is not confined to Europe. I hope to be in a position to enter into co-production agreements with Australia and Israel before very long.