Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 July 2014
24. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on a full and proper reform of the film industry in order to ensure this industry will reach its full potential. [31208/14]
View answerThe Irish Film Board (IFB) has primary responsibility for the support and promotion of film-making in Ireland in respect of both the indigenous sector and inward productions. it is a 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, schemes, and projects. The IFB has been allocated €14.037 million from my Department's Vote in 2014 to carry out its functions. The film and audiovisual production sector was the subject of a significant review, culminating in the acceptance by Government and the publication of the Creative Capital report almost 3 years ago. The recommendations of that Report are, by and large, implemented. A primary recommendation was the modification and extension of the tax support scheme for audiovisual production.
Following consultations between my Department, the IFB and the Department of Finance, a number of changes to section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (Film Tax Relief Scheme) are being introduced to ensure that Ireland remains competitive in attracting film projects to the country. The scheme has been extended to the end of 2020 in the 2013 Finance Act and further changes were announced by the Minister for Finance in his 2014 budget speech. The budget announcement brings forward the new regime for film tax reliefs to 2015, and extends the definition of 'eligible individual' in the scheme for film relief to include non-EU talent. I am confident that this will increase the attractiveness of Ireland as a destination for film investment and allow the audiovisual production sector to maintain existing jobs and create new ones.
