Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 20 Feb 1997

Vol. 475 No. 3

Written Answers. - Film Industry.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

24 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the number employed in the Irish film industry in each of the years from 1991 to 1996; the plans, if any, he has to review the various financial and other incentives available with a view to further maximising job creation in the industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4623/97]

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

No CSO statistics are available for employment numbers for the Irish film industry, because the categories in the labour force survey are too broad to allow the identification of employment in this sector.

The central database on employment in the file industry is held by the audiovisual production federation of IBEC, which produces an annual report on the economic impact of film and television production. It should be noted that, in the nature of the industry, many placements are on a short-term basis. The annual reports of IBEC for 1993, 1994 and 1995 indicate the following number of placements in the industry: 1993: 3,772; 1994: 10,845 and 1995: 16,031. The 1993 figure excludes details of those working on independent television production, as this information was not available at the time.

In person-year terms, the figures for direct Irish employment are as follows: 1993, 480; 1994, 1,291; and 1995, 1,266. Again, the 1993 figure excludes independent television production.

I should also add that the above statistics relate to direct employment only and do not include employment generated through expenditure on Irish goods and services. Nor do they include non-Irish residents employed on film production in this country. Data for 1996 will not become available until the latter half of this year.

The only other data available to me is in respect of 1991 and emanates from the Coopers and Lybrand Report on the Indigenous Audiovisual Production Industry, according to which, some 694 direct full-time equivalent jobs were created in both the feature film and the independent television production sector that year. The report does not state the number of actual placements.

Membership of the cinema and broadcasting branch of SIPTU also gives a good indication of the increasing level of activity in the industry. In December 1991, I understand that the branch had 496 members, that at the end of 1994 this number had increased to 815, that in August 1996 the figure stood at 1,378 and that at present membership totals 1,449.

Regarding the Deputy's question concerning a review of the financial incentives available within the industry, I am pleased to announce that I have secured the consent of the Minister for Finance to the use of recoupments in respect of investments made by Bord Scannán na hÉireann — the Irish Film Board — from 1994 onwards, for the purpose of providing additional development and production loans to Irish producers. The amount of recoupments currently available to the board is £764,000, but all further recoupments can also be utilised to provide additional loans to the industry. An increase in the available amount of finance for film development and production in this country should result in a proportionate increase in employment.

I would also refer the Deputy to the additional capital provision of £350,000 announced in this year's budget for Bord Scannán na hÉireann. This represents the State's contribution to the film training measure under the Operational Programme for Industrial Development 1994-99, which will be 75 per cent co-funded from the European Social Fund. These resources are being directed entirely towards human resources training for the industry on the basis of initiatives being implemented by the national training committee for film and television. The allocation of significant resources towards film and television will enhance the job creation potential of the sector by addressing the remaining skills shortages as well as enhancing the quality of employment by upskilling Irish personnel to better-paid employment.