Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2013
107. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which he and his Department continue to seek to attract international film makers with a view to promoting this country as a film location; the extent to which interest continues to be shown by the main film makers in such proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44251/13]
View answer324. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the number of films made here in each of the past five years to date; the anticipated extent of such activity in future years; if any particular or specific action is required to promote this country as a film location with consequent economic benefit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44795/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 107 and 324 together.
I refer the Deputy to my answer to Parliamentary Question Nos. 727 and 764 of 18 September, 2013. As the Deputy is aware, primary responsibility for the support and promotion of film-making in Ireland, in respect of both the indigenous sector and inward productions, is a matter for the Irish Film Board (IFB). The IFB is the statutorily independent agency responsible for the promotion and development of the Irish film industry and I have no responsibility in relation to its day-to-day operational matters, including the allocation of resources to different support programmes and schemes. The IFB has been allocated €14.037m in 2014 to carry out its functions.
In regard to the number of films made with support by the IFB, I would direct the Deputy's attention to the annual reports of the IFB, which are lodged periodically in the Oireachtas Library, and also to the publications by the IFB itself on its website www.irishfilmboard.ie. It is difficult to predict with certainty the number of films that will be made in the future. However, consultations between my Department, the IFB and the Department of Finance has resulted in a number of changes to Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, 1997 (Film Tax Relief Scheme) to ensure that Ireland retains or regains competitiveness in attracting foreign film projects to Ireland.
The scheme was extended to the end of 2020 in the 2013 Finance Act and further changes were announced last week by the Minister for Finance in his budget speech. The budget announcement brings forward the new regime for film tax reliefs to 2015, and also extend the definition of 'eligible individual' in the scheme for film relief to include non-EU talent. This will increase the attractiveness of Ireland as a destination for film investment and allow the audiovisual production sector to maintain existing jobs and hopefully create new ones.
