Vol. 480 No. 2
66 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise and Employment the number of people currently working in animation studios; the steps, if any, being taken to find replacement employment for previous similar projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13397/97]
There are approximately 70 people working in animation studios in Ireland at present; this number tends to fluctuate depending on the number of contracts a company is working on at any given time. By far the largest employer is an IDA assisted company with 30 workers. Irish-owned studios are smaller with 40 employees spread between seven operations.
Animation qualifies for Forbairt and IDA Ireland support under the media recording sector of internationally traded services. While in recent years IDA Ireland has concentrated its marketing efforts on other areas of business with international services, such as telemarketing, Forbairt has supported a number of animation projects. For example, following the closure in 1995 of Screen Animation, previously known as Sullivan Bluth, Forbairt assisted two projects at feasibility stage. These were promoted by two former employees of Screen Animation interested in developing pilot programmes and/or investigating start-up opportunities.
Forbairt is a co-funder, along with IDA Ireland and Ballyfermot College, of a major study of multimedia and its related sectors, one of which is animation. This study is being conducted by an Irish-owned consultancy company and is scheduled for completion this month. The report is expected to identify current gaps in the sector as well as highlighting areas of opportunity.
