The 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. The following table shows the allocation from my Department to the Irish Film Board from 2011 to 2016:
Table 1
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
2015
|
2016
|
Grant to Irish Film Board (€million)
|
18,431
|
15,690
|
14,858
|
13,962
|
14,512
|
14,471
|
The other primary mechanism through which the Government supports the film industry is Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 - the film tax relief scheme. This incentive was enhanced in Budget 2016, when the cap for eligible expenditure on film projects was increased from €50 million to €70 million. In 2015, the amount of film tax relief authorised was €51 million.
The Sound and Vision Fund administered by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland also provides funding for the audiovisual industry in Ireland.
My Department has not prepared figures setting out this spending on the film industry as a percentage of GNP.
The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a very important commitment to work to progressively increase funding for the Arts, including the Ar to the Irish Film Board, as the economy continues to improve. I will be engaging with my colleagues in Government and with the Oireachtas to seek to advance this commitment in the context of the forthcoming estimates and budgetary processes.