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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 16 Nov 2011

Vol. 746 No. 4

Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

The Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2011, has a simple but important objective, namely, to increase the statutory limit on the cumulative capital outlay, commitments and liabilities which may be incurred by the Irish Film Board. As is the case with some statutory bodies which receive public funding, a limit was set by statute on such outlay when the Irish Film Board Act 1980, was enacted. This limit must be reviewed by the Houses of the Oireachtas every five to six years.

The Irish Film Board (Amendment) Act 2006 increased the limit from €101.5 million to €200 million. In the absence of amending legislation, spending by the Irish Film Board will reach this statutory limit by the end of 2011. It is now proposed to increase this limit to €300 million, to allow the Irish Film Board to continue to operate within an appropriate statutory limit, subject to the normal annual Estimates process.

The board has a dual mandate to develop Irish filmmaking and audiovisual production talent that can engage audiences both at home and abroad, while maintaining and building the resources, craft and skills of the Irish industry by attracting international productions to Ireland. The primary function of the board is to provide development and production finance for Irish film and TV production projects. Development loans are given to allow a project to be brought from the drawing board to the stage of being a properly researched and developed project, ready to be taken to the production stage. Production loans contribute towards the actual cost of producing a finished film or documentary project.

Evidence of the necessity for this legislation is borne out by the activity of the Irish Film Board in recent years. Since 2000, the board has assisted in the development of 856 feature film projects; 142 documentaries and 74 animation projects. In the same period, the board has granted production finance to a total of 154 feature films, 140 documentaries, 385 shorts, 33 animation projects and 30 TV drama projects. The film and television industry is labour-intensive and by its very nature, any investment in production creates employment. On average, 70% of each production budget is expended on labour costs. In the past six years, 2006 to 2011, the Irish Film Board expenditure is as follows: total budgets of the productions stood at €501 million; Irish Film Board investment stood at €58 million and Irish spend on the productions stood at €252 million. Therefore, every euro invested by the board in production produces almost a tenfold return on that investment.

With regard to the value of the industry in 2010, the recent IBEC audiovisual review gave a total production value of €388 million for that year, which is an increase of 57% on 2009. The board has a crucial role in the development of Irish film and TV production projects. It continues to play an essential part in providing the opportunities needed by emerging Irish talent and it has launched the careers of a number of young Irish film-makers. The board also supports more established companies in producing Irish films with significant commercial prospects.

These past five years have seen the environment in which the board operates undergoing massive and constant evolution and development, both domestically and internationally. I am pleased to say that the board has adapted to these changes. It is well known that one cannot stand still in any endeavour if one is to succeed and the film sector is no exception. One must adapt to changing circumstances in the type of projects being developed, the audience to be reached and the markets to be targeted.

The Irish Film Board-funded comedy thriller, "The Guard", starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, has become the most successful independent Irish film in Irish box office history, grossing over €4.13 million and it is continuing its success world-wide, taking over $4 million at the US box office to date. This film, written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, has taken more at the Irish box office than international films such as, "The King's Speech", "The Hangover Part II", "Dark of The Moon" and "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides". The film is also finding audiences around the world and has been in the top ten in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. To date, it has earned over $4 million in the United States. With further releases planned for later this year in Germany, France, Italy and Holland the film is expected to become one of the most successful and valuable Irish film exports in recent times. Such an international success will ensure that an Irish story, filmed in Ireland, will be projected all over the world, highlighting not only the wealth of talent and creativity the country has to offer but also promoting Ireland as a film and tourist destination.

A large number of major international feature films and television series have chosen Ireland as a film location as a result of the work the Irish Film Board does to promote Ireland at international film and television markets. The positive impact of this work is three-fold in terms of creating jobs in Ireland, creating spend on local goods and services and promoting Ireland on big and small screens to millions of audiences internationally.

A major 12 part mini-series, "Titanic: Blood and Steel", is an example of this work. It is currently filming in Dublin and Wicklow, with a run of 12 weeks and a budget of €12 million. I was on the set last week and was very impressed. The Irish-Italian television series which is planned for broadcast at the time of the 100th anniversary of the infamous vessel's launch and subsequent loss early next year has at the helm Irish director Ciaran Donnelly, who also directed the very successful series, "The Tudors", with support from Robert Quinn, a director of the "Primeval" television series. Produced by Paul Myler for EPOS Films with the Italian De Angelis group, the project will provide approx 200 jobs for an Irish cast and crew.

Debated adjourned.

Sitting suspended at 1.30 p.m. and resumed at 2.30 p.m.
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