Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 14 June 2023
75. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Finance if he will ensure that recommendations 7 and 8 from the Film Tax Credit Report from the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight will be implemented in order to ensure that actors and performers have their copyrights afforded proper protection in line with national and European law. [28831/23]
View answerI am aware of the recommendations made by the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight as part of its recent examination of the section 481 film tax credit.
In relation to the intellectual property rights of actors and performers, I would note that copyright law falls within the remit of the Department of the Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Notwithstanding this, my officials have engaged with the stakeholders concerned, including representative bodies for actors and performers, to gain an understanding of issues of concern.
Copyright is relevant for many workers in the film sector, including authors, producers and broadcasters in addition to actors, and I have been informed that Screen Ireland has engaged an independent facilitator to meet with key stakeholders to understand the various perspectives of those concerned. Individual stakeholder meetings were held over an eight-week period in March and April of this year and the next phase will progress to group discussions. I look forward to the outputs from this process.
It worth noting that copyright legislation applies regardless of whether it is referenced as part of the application process for section 481 or not. Referencing the legislation as part section of 481 would not afford actors and performers any additional layer of legal protection than they already have under the relevant copyright legislation in its current form.
If there are issues with copyright law as it currently applies, as stated, this is a matter for the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
