Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 1 Dec 2011

Vol. 211 No. 16

Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2011: Second Stage

Question proposed: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jimmy Deenihan)

I am grateful to the House for facilitating us in taking this Bill at short notice. It has a simple but important objective, namely, to increase the statutory limit on the cumulative capital outlay, commitments and liabilities that the Irish Film Board may incur. As is the case with some statutory bodies that 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 updated 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 IFB will reach this statutory limit by the end of the year. It is proposed, therefore, to increase this limit to €300 million to allow the IFB to continue to operate within an appropriate statutory limit, subject to the normal annual Estimates process.

The IFB has a dual mandate to develop Irish film making and audiovisual production talent that can engage audiences at home and abroad, and to maintain and build the resources, craft and skills of the Irish industry through attracting international productions to Ireland. The primary function of the IFB is to provide development and production finance for Irish film and television 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 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 times. Since 2000 the Irish Film Board has assisted in the development of 856 feature film projects, 142 documentaries and 74 animation projects. In the same period, the IFB has granted production finance to a total of 154 feature films, 140 documentaries, 385 shorts, 33 animation projects and 30 television drama projects.

The past six years have seen the environment in which the IFB operates undergo significant and constant evolution and development, domestically and internationally. The IFB has reflected and adapted to these changes. One cannot stand still in any endeavour if it is to succeed and the film sector is no exception. One must adapt to changing circumstances in the type of projects being developed, the audiences to be reached and the markets to be targeted.

The film and television production industry is labour intensive and, by its very nature, any investment in production creates employment. On average 70% of each production budget is spent on labour. In the past six years from 2006 to 2011 the IFB-induced spend was as follows: a total budget of the productions was €501 million; IFB investment was €58 million; and Irish spend on the productions was €252 million. Therefore, for every €1 investment by the IFB in production there is a nearly a tenfold return on that investment. In looking specifically at the value of the industry in 2010 the recent IBEC audiovisual review of film and television production in Ireland gave a total production value of €388 million for that year, a 57% increase on 2009.

The IFB has a crucial role in the development of Irish film and television 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 several young Irish film makers. The Irish Film Board also supports more established companies in producing Irish films which have significant commercial prospects.

For example, the IFB-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 more than €4.13 million and is continuing its success worldwide taking more than $4 million at the US box office to date. The John Michael McDonagh-written and directed film has taken more at the Irish box office than international films such as "The King's Speech", "The Hangover 2", "Transformers: 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 10 in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. In the US, it has taken more than $4 million to date. 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 promoting Ireland as a film and tourist destination.

A large number of major international feature films and TV series have chosen Ireland as a film location as a result of the work the IFB does to promote Ireland at international film and television markets. The positive impact of this work is threefold in creating jobs in Ireland; creating spend on local good and services; and promoting Ireland on the big and small screen to millions of audiences internationally. A major 12-part mini-series, "TITANIC: Blood and Steel" is an example of this work. It is being filmed in Dublin and Wicklow over 12 weeks with a budget of €12 million. I was on the set recently and was very impressed.

Senator Paul Bradford

Are you an extra?

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

I hope I might have a main role given my past interest in the film industry, of which Senator Bradford may not be aware.

Senator Paul Bradford

You were a star on the GAA pitch.

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

There is a big difference between the GAA pitch and the film industry.

The Irish-Italian television series which it is planned to broadcast at the time of the 100th anniversary early next year of the infamous vessel's launch and subsequent loss will provide approximately 200 jobs for Irish cast and crew.

Other highlights for home-grown production in 2011 include Rebecca Daly's "The Other Side of Sleep", which has been selected for the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival as well as the Director's Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011, and Thaddeus O'Sullivan's "Stella Days", starring Martin Sheen. International film productions which were filmed here include the major US feature film "Haywire", directed by Steven Soderbergh; the Toronto International Film Festival selected "Albert Nobbs", starring Glenn Close in what many are tipping as an Oscar worthy performance; and Paolo Sorrentino's "This Must Be The Place" starring Sean Penn, which was selected for official competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011.

Another potentially significant project this year was the first Bollywood blockbuster to shoot in Ireland, "Ek Tha Tiger" which stars two of Bollywood's biggest stars and was recently filmed over five weeks on location in Dublin. It is estimated that the production contributed €1.5 million to the Irish economy and created more than 1,000 short-term jobs with many Irish cast and crew involved in the shoot. The film used an abundance of Dublin locations for spectacular dance sequences and stunts, including Trinity College, IMMA, the quays, South King Street, Mount Street, the Shelbourne Hotel, Temple Bar and St. Stephen's Green to name a few. It is set to be distributed to 24 countries. This means images of Ireland and Dublin will be projected on the big screen across the globe, especially to new untapped demographics such as India's burgeoning middle and upper classes, not to mention the Indian diaspora throughout the world. All of this will provide promotional opportunities for Tourism Ireland to exploit Ireland as a tourist destination. According to Fáilte Ireland figures, 20% of all tourists who visited Ireland in 2010 did so because of images of Ireland they saw on film.

The IFB, with Government support, has adopted a strategic approach to meeting these challenges. Through its varied schemes and programmes, it aims to assist projects at the earliest stage of development through to the pre-production phase and finally to production and post-production. Through its funding of Screen Training Ireland, the IFB addresses the training needs of the industry, with more than 500 people receiving training in all aspects of the film-making process each year. Thus, training supports can be put in place to match the requirements of the market place and render its participants relevant to the sector they want to enter.

The significant challenge now is to continue to provide as supportive an environment as is possible. The audiovisual industry is "smart". It combines tradition with the advent of each new technology and is in fact about tradition, translation and transmission. The sector provides natural alliances between education and culture. It is, therefore, uniquely positioned to lead, contribute to and enhance the smart economy. In this regard, I recently published a five year strategy for the sector, Creative Capital — Building Ireland's Audiovisual Creative Economy. This report will deliver on issues regarding talent development, convergence, sectoral growth, education and the digital opportunities for Ireland, as well as reporting on industry leadership, State agency roles and innovation. It will provide a road map for the coming years and will assist in enabling the domestic audiovisual content production sector to develop into an internationally traded sector for product and services over a five year period from 2011 to 2015 and to increase employment levels to 10,000.

Success in recent years at film festivals and award ceremonies is one measure which confirms policy in this area is working. The year 2010 was a great year for Irish film making, with Irish talent picking up awards and nominations and some of the industry's highest accolades. Highlights include the Irish film industry receiving five Academy Award nominations, three of which were for the IFB supported films "The Secret of Kells", "Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty" and "The Door", while Irish animator Richard Baneham and his team picked up the Oscar for best visual effects for his work on "Avatar".

These successes continued from previous years. In 2009, Colin Farrell and Gabriel Byrne won Golden Globe awards and Brendan Gleeson and Dearbhla Walsh won Emmys. In 2008 "Once", which was made for only €300,000 with support from the IFB, was awarded the Oscar for best original song. Also in 2008 "Hunger" won the Camera D'Or award at Cannes and in 2007 "Garage" also won an award at Cannes.

Another important success happened this week with the animated series "The Amazing World of Gumball", co-produced by Dublin-based animation company Boulder Media, picking up awards for animation and writing at the British Academy Children's Awards. These awards help to give confidence and increased profile to the sector and are significant evidence that productions emanating from Ireland are of a very high calibre.

Also in recent days the IFB announced details of its latest round of funding decisions that will generate production activity worth an estimated €38 million to the Irish economy over the coming months. Among the projects being supported are six projects from the animation sector from production companies such as Boulder Media, Brown Bag Films, Igloo Films, Monster Distributes, Magpie6 Media and Monster Animation.

Confirmation was also provided on funding for Neil Jordan's latest major feature film "Byzantium". Produced by Alan Moloney and Stephen Woolley, it is estimated that "Byzantium" will result in a net inflow of just under €7 million to the Irish economy in terms of spend on local jobs, goods and services. The film will star well known Irish actress Saoirse Ronan.

Another interesting aspect of this funding round is the first co-production between Ireland and Singapore. "Mister John" is a feature length film produced by Samson Films, and represents a further move by the IFB to create new production opportunities by opening up the Asian market for Irish producers.

In tandem with supports for the IFB, my Department's primary operational role in supporting the film sector relates to the administration of elements of the section 481 tax relief scheme. In 2010 a total of 57 projects, an increase from 44 projects in 2009, were approved for funding through section 481 with an Irish spend of €164.65 million. These 57 projects supported substantial employment for crew, cast and extras and had the effect of maintaining and creating jobs in a very difficult climate, while at the same time producing a product that will help to sell Ireland abroad.

To date a total of 44 projects have been approved for funding with an Irish spend of more than €89 million. While at this stage it looks as if we will not reach the level of last year, the number of projects remains high. It should be pointed out that 2010 was a exceptionally good year for Irish film making. Section 481 has been extended to the end of 2015. This will assist in giving the sector continuity and certainty for the future and will allow projects to proceed in the knowledge that this important underpinning of the industry will be there for the next four years.

Our cultural and artistic identity as a nation gives us a competitive advantage that now more than ever must be exploited. The benefits of high levels of film and television production in Ireland will include increased international investment in the economy, increased employment in this sector, positive spin-off effects in promoting Ireland as a tourist location and the improvement of Ireland as an industrial location for all aspects of creative endeavours.

I appreciate Senators' co-operation — I thank the three Senators present for their attendance — in the enactment of this short but important Bill which I commend to the House.

Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú

I welcome the Minister and assure him that everyone on this side of the House will support the Bill.

Everyone is conscious of the importance of the film industry to Ireland and of the role of the Irish Film Board. That role is about more than promoting the commercial and creative elements of film making, in that the board also ensures training for up and coming participants in the industry. One of its main roles is to promote Ireland. All of these elements must be considered together when we discuss the industry.

Prior to the Irish Film Board's establishment, we had established a tradition of film making. In the past fortnight I watched "Ryan's Daughter" on television again and I am sure many Members had an opportunity to do likewise. When it was first released, I saw it in a cinema in London. Although I did not look on film making as an industry at the time, I realised the PR impact films made in Ireland must have had on the country's image and reputation. Consider the scenery in that film and "The Quiet Man".

We have been lucky. We have realised the importance of the arts, culture and film making, not just to Ireland's well being and the development of Irish characteristics but also to generating finance for Ireland at home and abroad. In the space of five years there was an investment of €1.1 billion in these sectors. This indicates our acceptance of the importance of the arts, culture and film making, even in difficult times. At all times, we must endeavour to sustain, maintain and develop them.

There is a propaganda element to film making. I look back on the days when I used to watch cowboy films. I thought the cowboys were always right and the Indians were always wrong until I realised the medium was being used as a propaganda tool. A film on Cyprus presented the freedom movement Ethnikí Orgánosis Kipriakoú Agónos, EOKA, in such a way that I believed it was right. I have since realised propaganda delivered in a soft manner is important. If we view it in the context of publicity and public relations, we can see the power of film making. I will not suggest how the film industry or the Irish Film Board should address this issue, as they are keenly aware of the importance of portraying Ireland in the best way possible. There will always be films on the edge and of a controversial nature, issues that need to be addressed and causes that need to be voiced, but it is important that we do not deliberately set out to damage the country's image among a foreign audience.

While I have not seen much that could damage us, I have seen the excellence of people involved in film making. Big television programmes such as "The Year of the French" and "Strumpet City" were magnificent productions. We never realised years ago that we were capable of putting on productions of that nature. They were not only entertaining, they were also informative, given the historical aspects. Both series showed the tenacity of the Irish character. We are discussing the commemoration of the 1916 Rising and the great lock-out of 1913, which brings us back to "Strumpet City". If we are to include the great lock-out in our commemorations in 2016, I hope "Strumpet City" will be aired again. It is a timeless series and airing it would cost nothing. Anyone of a particular age who watched it previously would be only too delighted to watch it again. There is no such thing as a film one would not watch again. I have watched "Doctor Zhivago" five times and could watch it again, but I will not discuss the more romantic movies. Films are timeless and we were capable of producing something of that quality.

"Ryan's Daughter" was made in the Minister's county. I recall a newspaper advertisement in which the film's makers offered the exceptional set they had built on the mountain to any organisation which would have been able to take it over and use it as a tourist attraction. I visited it and would have been interested in putting together a non-political coalition to take it over. Unfortunately, 16 landowners were involved in the village. If we make epic films such as those I have mentioned, we should keep their locations in mind on an ongoing basis. The Irish and people from abroad would undoubtedly like to visit the places where such films were made. Perhaps we might consider matters of legality, continuity and so on to ensure a further spin-off as a result of the State's investment.

The source of our talent can be found in the Abbey Theatre and other theatre companies, from local drama groups up. When major films needed extras, they drew on local drama societies, as well as on people with no histrionic experience. If people are in a film, their pride becomes part of the catchment area's folklore. It would not take much business acumen or ingenuity to tap into that pride during and following the film's creation.

The economy is entering a competitive period. We were all involved in yesterday's debate on the tourism industry, an industry which has become competitive and in which prices must be kept down, etc. In terms of the arts and film making, our culture and traditions, the very things tourists are looking for are exclusive to us. They do not have our culture; they have their own wonderful cultures. Discerning visitors who now account for many of our tourists are seeking an exceptionally different experience. As we have exclusive rights to our arts, culture and so on, we should be marketing and sustaining them. In a competitive world one must realise that our scenery, people, culture and arts are exclusive to us and that there seems to be much demand for them. We must consider how we package this experience. I have only touched on four areas, but there are 20 or 30 others in that context.

The Minister welcomed the three Senators attendance. Like me, he and his officials know that this debate is on an important issue. It is not one on which there would be a confrontational debate. We are keenly aware of the track record of the Irish Film Board and the film industry and, in particular, their potential. I commend the Minister for his contribution today. He pointed to the successes we have had which put Ireland centre-stage but they do much more than that. When we have successes in sport, literature or music with the likes of U2, we puff out the chest a little bit more and realise that we can now take our place among the nation's of the Earth in all of these areas. The Minister has outlined a catalogue, some of which we had forgotten. It is important to remind ourselves not to take these achievements for granted as they improved the morale of the nation's people each time we tasted success.

I endorse the Minister's comments and I hope he will avail of an opportunity to return for another debate on this area, not so much in a legislative context but for a discussion involving ideas and experiences that other Members may have. I have no doubt in my mind that once the ball is kicked in, there will be many to follow it. The Minister has kicked it today and as he has said, he will not have any opposition in this House, which is rather unusual. We had a debate on a transport Bill recently and we ended up talking about political prisoners and other issues. This is an issue in a pure context with which we can all identify. It is good for our people, the economy and the image of the country. It is an area where we will definitely have consensus.

Senator Paul Bradford

I welcome the Minister to the House. We are not large in numbers this afternoon but we are here to support the passage of the legislation and ensure the Irish film industry will continue to progress. It is fair to say that the Minister brings to his Department a great sense of enthusiasm and drive, which is required not just in his Department but across all Departments. If we want to turn the Irish economy and society around and produce hope and the jobs that are required, a new type of thinking and level of enthusiasm is required throughout the Departments of State. The Minister's enthusiastic approach to his portfolio is very welcome and will produce results in his area. I hope that will spread throughout Government thinking.

The Minister would fully acknowledge that Ireland is not and will not ever be Hollywood but we can be Bollywood. There was a time when a country such as India would not have been known for film making expertise or the export of films across the world. India set certain targets, funded them and achieved results, and we can do likewise. The Irish people are among the most literary and cultured peoples of the world. One can list the great poets, scholars and musicians of Ireland, and the list is almost endless. In that regard it is rather surprising that we have never been at the top of the league for film production. I hope that as a result of this legislation we can continue to make the levels of progress that have been made recently. Much more needs to be done. We must set very high targets and we can achieve them.

I mentioned India in passing but I am no expert on the Indian film industry. We could also learn much from Australia. There was a time up to the early 1970s when there was no Australian film industry but as a result, I presume, of Government initiatives, policies, drive and finance, the Australian film and television drama industry took off. In the early or mid-1980s we lived with one or two channels on television and there was a lovely television drama called "All the Rivers Run". It gave me a significant interest in Australian life, culture and scenery, and it shows what film can do.

The Minister's speech was very interesting, with one line summing up what he, his Department and this Bill are about. The Minister mentioned that according to Fáilte Ireland figures, "20% of all tourists who visited Ireland in 2010 did so because of images of Ireland they saw on film". That is an impressive, interesting and challenging figure. If we increase film production and the selling of Ireland through cinema, television and drama, we will increase tourist numbers significantly. We debated tourism in the House yesterday, with many of us making the point that it is one of few industries where jobs can be created instantly. If we can marry the efforts of the Minister in this Department with those in the Department responsible for tourism, we can certainly make the type of progress required. We have moved in the right direction but there is a long way to go.

We must look at specific opportunities. The previous speaker mentioned "Strumpet City" and I recollect that drama. Perhaps it could be revisited, especially as we come to what some people wish to call the 1916 commemoration and others want to call the decade of commemorations. I will not get excited about that argument but there are many major historical moments that will bring reflection and commemoration over the next few years. Television and film will have a major role to play in bringing those events to life.

I was at a meeting earlier this afternoon unrelated to this Bill and which concerned education matters. The point was made by one or two of those present that there are moves afoot in the Department of Education and Skills to slim down the teaching of history in schools. It was news to me and I was disappointed to hear it. If history is slimmed down in our education, film could play a significant role in ensuring we do not forget who we are, where we are from or what we are about. The 1916 Rising and the lock-out could be effectively examined by way of television drama and film. If one had a limitless budget, I am sure the First World War and the history of Irish people serving abroad at the time could be the subject of a drama because it is such a complex story. We need the funding and people in place and we must formulate ideas. There is an opportunity to marry tourism, education, history and film in one jigsaw. I know the Minister is thinking in that direction and I wish him well.

When I turned on the radio yesterday morning in time for the news at 9 a.m., one of the lead stories was about Ashford Castle in Mayo going into receivership. The presenter did not say that the hotel in Cong, County Mayo, had gone into receivership and instead the description was that it was the hotel which featured in "The Quiet Man". It is amazing to think that after so many years, that hotel and region strikes a chord and has a resonance because of that film. "The Quiet Man" and "Ryan's Daughter", which, like Senator Ó Murchú, I saw recently, or "The Field" have a profoundly important place in our culture, history, geography, job creation and the selling of Ireland abroad. We must build them as best we can and I am confident the Minister is thinking along those lines.

There is a tremendous number of jobs in the film industry, for example. We will not replay the presidential election — Senator O'Keeffe supported President Higgins strongly during the campaign — but President Higgins presented the argument many times during the election campaign that he worked as a Minister for culture, with jobs created in the film industry. The figure mentioned struck a chord because it is surprising to see such a substantial number. We must build on that work.

The Ballyfermot film college and other outlets provide a great opportunity for young people to take up jobs, and people can become actors, extras in a film and scriptwriters. They have potential in many spheres.

I very much welcome the Bill. It is part of an exciting script, if one will excuse the pun, in the Minister's Department where one can start with a fairly blank page and set one's own agenda. Obviously, we require money and we all appreciate it is fairly tight at the moment. However, money has never been the total problem as far as this industry is concerned. It is a question of vision, leadership, support and prompting, and I know the Minister will not be found wanting in that regard.

I wish the Minister well with the passage of this Bill and I hope the result in the weeks, months and years ahead will not just be Academy Awards for Irish actors, directors and film producers but jobs, advertising revenue, promotion of Ireland and reflection on our history, culture and strengths as a people. That is what the Bill can help sustain and promote.

Senator Susan O’Keeffe

I welcome the Minister. I am slightly confused but rather delighted by the lack of opposition, both physically and mentally. This is a technical Bill which allows the Minister's Department to make available money to the Irish Film Board should it need to do so. It raises the amount from €200 million to €300 million. I am sure the Minister would like to have the money in his pocket to hand out but it is a sign of the Government's intent to continue to support the very good work the Minister discussed in the roll of honour he gave today. It is always great to have a moment to reflect on the successes we have had.

By happy accident, I pay tribute to a Kerryman, Tom Cooper, who made the first feature film in Ireland called "The Dawn" in 1938. Tom Cooper understood the idea of vertical integration because he wrote it, produced it, directed it and acted in it. All his friends did too. It was a fine example of that sort of entrepreneurial spirit in the film industry but it was also an example of choosing that mechanism to discuss history, as my colleague, Senator Bradford, discussed. He could have gone into politics and talked about the legacy of the Civil War but instead he chose a very unique way to tell that story. It had resonance not only in Kerry but beyond.

I would like to say how proud I am that Tom Cooper was my uncle. As a very young child — I must have been shorter than the table — there was a public showing of "The Dawn" in his hotel in Killarney and lots of adults flocked to it but did not notice the small child underneath the radar. I had absolutely no idea what the film was about because it was far too complicated for me but it had those sort of shaky black and white images which had a serious impact on me.

Tom Cooper showed an enormous entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to do something that was completely outside the norm at that time. Indeed, he went on to have the first multiplex cinema in Ireland, long before the idea of having more than one cinema in the same place had been thought of.

I am sure Tom is with us today as we talk about the success story that is the Irish film industry. He would be smiling and possibly sitting in the Minister's chair if he was here trying to organise and drive the film industry further.

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

He would be very worthy of this position.

Senator Susan O’Keeffe

In that sense, he had great vision.

We are at a moment when we need great vision again. We are in the 21st century when technological changes in the film industry will drive it ever further. The area of CGI effects, for example, is one in which we should invest and ask whether Ireland can become good at CGI and a place to come to for post-production.

The film industry is not simply about making the wonderful films to which the Minister referred and we all remember. Indeed, I am old enough to remember "The Quiet Man". In recent times, we have had the modern versions, including "The Secret of Kells", "The Door", "The Wind That Shakes the Barley" and "The Amazing World of Gumball", which won an award this week from that fine institution, the British Academy. We have come from "The Dawn" to "The Amazing World of Gumball" and there has been a lot in between. I look forward to what is coming next.

The Irish Film Board was not set up until 1980 but was subsequently disbanded for a while. The President, Michael D. Higgins, reinvigorated and re-established it. The film industry now employs approximately 5,000 people. My uncle would laugh at the idea because he was the film industry in 1938. We will look forward to a great increase in those numbers if the strategy from the Minister's Department is anything to judge by.

A dilemma facing the Irish Film Board is, ironically, the number of stakeholders involved in film which include Enterprise Ireland, the IDA, Culture Ireland, the broadcasters, Forfás, the Digital Hub and the third level institutions. There is a large network or support group involved in the film industry. The Irish Film Board is central to that but it is a bit of a dilemma for the board to have to have relationships with all of these stakeholders, which are all terribly important. However, I do not know whether that can be streamlined in some way or whether the Irish Film Board can find a way to engage with those organisations in an even more organised way than in the past.

Much of this has been built up on an ad hoc basis as people have found their own way. As my uncle would have found his own way, people have kind of stumbled around and found their way. We are now coming to a more grown up version of this industry. The onus is on the Irish Film Board to be at the heart of that. Part of that is the dedicated business development unit which will be an aspect of the Minister’s strategic plan. I hope that within that business development unit, there would be scope for it to have the capacity to be the lead player in this area and that it would drive it.

A small criticism of the Irish Film Board is that it very much welcomes to itself organisations and companies funded by it. However, if one manages to gain funding from elsewhere and if one is not wearing the Irish Film Board hat, one is sort of viewed as being slightly outside the Pale. This is an anecdotal thing about which people in the film business talk. In a way, that has grown up out of where the Irish Film Board came from. The potential exists for the business development unit to take ownership of all film makers in Ireland and to represent them all. In large part, I suspect this has occurred because of the size of the Irish Film Board. It can only achieve so much and it cannot stretch beyond its own area. Increasingly, there will be an onus on it to assist, to represent and to be all-embracing of those other film makers who may not be in receipt of its funding now, although perhaps in the future.

The other thing we have learned from the film industry in Ireland is that it is remarkably resilient. It has never had a boom and that is probably a good thing because we know what booms do — they go bust. It is good that it has been steady and slow and has been built up gradually, and yet when we look back at the names of the people and of the films which have succeeded, it goes back rather a long way. As a model, it is probably a very good one.

In the west, there has been a particular emphasis on creativity and the Western Development Commission's research document stated that the nature of the work carried out in the creative sector is innately bound to the unique geography of the place. In simple terms, people go to that place because of the quality of life and the way they feel. That invites a building of creativity. There is a unique Creative West concept and I would dearly like to see that becoming part of the creative capital strategy as a very specific and stated aim of it and that it would recognise the work that has been done and the sort of graduation of people to that area. It is not that it should replace other activity; it should complement it. Creative West could be a brand that could be supported. It would obviously grow on the jobs already created and perhaps offer a unique sort of creativity which is very Irish and represents the best of our culture and heritage.

It is good to be able to talk about something so positive. Although we do not know whether there are cowboys or Indians in or outside the House, we all feel good about the Irish film industry, how it can be built up and the direction it is taking. The industry provides an opportunity to represent Ireland in a positive light, reinforces our cultural heritage and creates jobs. Most of all, it provides pleasure. The film industry and its associated areas provide pleasure for people, which is not a bad thing. It is an industry which is growing, particularly in the area of gaming and where people create their own films and try to find ways to promote them. It is good that we are in positive position and building on this. However, we are at a point in the history of film making in Ireland where what we do in the next five years will be crucial to how we grow in a way we have not done previously. I am not advocating a boom, just steady as she goes.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jimmy Deenihan)

I thank sincerely the three Senators for their important contributions to this debate. They bring significant knowledge of the industry and have raised a number of issues on which I would like to respond.

Like Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú, I too saw "Ryan's Daughter" in London, probably in 1971 or 1972, and from a Kerry perspective, I was very proud of it. I was in school in London at the time as I spent a year and a half in school in a place called Strawberry Hill. A number of us went to see the film and I was very proud among Irish friends of being from that part of Ireland. The film also resonated with the audience, who were a multicultural audience. The film was on in the West End and the scenery had a wow factor. While the story line was very good, it was the scenery that really captured people's attention and appreciation. I have met several people since over the years, in places like the top of Brandon Mountain, who were in west Kerry because of "Ryan's Daughter". I totally agree with the Senator about the village. There is a proposal currently to rebuild the village in a different place and somebody was on to me last week about that. The loss of the village was a national loss and it was short-sighted to bulldoze it away. We can only imagine the attraction it would be now.

This gives me the opportunity to raise the issue of where "The Quiet Man" was filmed in Cong. This is something about which we may be able to do something. The cottage used in the film is now just a ruin and only some of the walls are left because people have come and taken away some of the stones. The cottage now only has a footprint on the ground and as a nation we should do something about that. The owner of the property lives in America and should be approached to lease or hand over the property to the nation. It does not reflect well on this country that the cottage where "The Quiet Man" was filmed is being allowed become derelict, while at the same time we are putting emphasis on the importance of the film. We celebrated its 60th anniversary this year and I was in Cong for the celebration, which was a major event. However, just down the road, the cottage used in the film will not exist for much longer. I am glad Senator Ó Murchú raised the issue and perhaps we can do something about it. I know a group has been set up to try to do something about preservation and I would like to help it in every way possible. The site should be preserved for the future of the film industry here. This would be advantageous for Cong and for the country. It is an important part of the archaeology of the Irish film industry.

I agree that film generally projects the country in a positive way. "The Field", "Ryan's Daughter", "Saving Private Ryan" and all the other great epic films I have mentioned have had considerable impact here. It is amazing too that "The Guard" has enjoyed such success, not alone here but abroad. It resonates and connects with audiences all over the world and will be one of the most successful films with an Irish connection ever made.

Senator Ó Murchú also raised the issue of the commemorations due to take place in the coming years, including 1916 and the Dublin lock-out. I am chairman of the commemorations committee. It will all start next year. What triggered off 1916, which led eventually to the signing of the Treaty and the subsequent Civil War, was the introduction of the third Home Rule Bill in April 1912. People may not be aware of that, but that is where it all started, because that drew a response from Unionists, not only in Ulster but throughout the country. It led to the signing of the Ulster Covenant, which was signed by approximately 500,000 people, 30,000 of whom were from the South. On the other hand, there was a massive movement in support of the third Home Rule Bill. At the time, Redmond was as powerful as O'Connell or Parnell would have been previously. He addressed a meeting in O'Connell Street and the people were gathered so densely together that the commentator said one could walk on top of the people from the Parnell monument right down to the O'Connell monument. There were four platforms for speakers. Redmond was on one near the O'Connell monument, Pearse was on another and he spoke to the audience in Irish, MacNeill was on the third and I forget who was on the fourth. That was a major event because it drew that reaction from the Northern Unionist community, led by Carson, who was a Dublin man. The response was the Ulster Covenant and the setting up of the Volunteers, which was replicated here to support the Home Rule Bill.

It is important this is recognised and analysed. The third Home Rule Bill was giving us much more than the previous two unsuccessful Home Rule Bills. That process was interrupted by the war and what happened afterwards. However, that is where the commemorations will start. The cross-party committee will, I hope, have a meeting before Christmas. We have already had one meeting and are considering a number of issues, including the future of Moore Street, and we will come up with a number of proposals. An academic group will also be assembled under the chairmanship of the former Senator, Maurice Manning, who is a very distinguished historian. He will assemble historians from the main colleges and universities here and elsewhere and they will consider the historical facts around the 1916 Rising and will direct the historic commemoration. I agree with Senator Ó Murchú that film can play an important role in the commemoration of the 1916 Rising and the other commemorations. There is important archival material available and it is important RTE has a strategy in that regard.

I was on the set of "Saving the Titanic" and spoke to some of the people there, the majority of whom were from local drama groups around the country, from Meath, Dublin, etc. It was extraordinary how enthusiastic they were. They were learning all the time and they said they would be much better at amateur drama, which is what they do, because of that experience. I thank the Senator for that contribution. Last year, 20% of visitors came to Ireland because of what they saw on an Irish film.

I say to Senator Bradford that Ireland may not become Hollywood, although in some ways Bollywood is bigger than Hollywood. There is a thriving film industry in India. It was a major development when two of the best known Indian film actors came to Dublin recently to film in Trinity College. Senator Bacik probably saw them.

Senator Ivana Bacik

I saw them on set. Just as the Minister was on the set of the film "Titanic", they were on the campus of Trinity College. Perhaps we should refer to Dollywood for Dublin.

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

We can get an even more creative name. Before we ever had Bollywood or Hollywood we had the O'Kalem films in Beaufort in Kerry. The Kalem company produced several silent films there between 1913 and 1916. Some very famous films were produced at that time.

Senator Susan O’Keeffe

There is something in the Kerry water, evidently.

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

I was delighted to learn that Mr. Tom Cooper was Senator O'Keeffe's uncle. I was not aware of that connection. Every year we honour people at three film festivals in Kerry. There is the Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival in Waterville, the Dingle Film Festival and the Kerry Film Festival. I have yet to hear of anyone honouring Tom Cooper. This has given me a very good opportunity. "The Dawn" is a very famous film. It is the one we are always reminded of when we speak of film in Kerry. I have been given many ideas as to how we should recognise that. I hope to speak to Senator O'Keeffe again about this.

Senator Bradford referred to Australia. A very good film industry has been built there. Australia's neighbour, New Zealand, has done wonderful things, particularly with the "Lord of the Rings" series. That series made New Zealand as a tourism destination. The country really capitalised on those films. New Zealand has been sold in a major way through "Lord of the Rings". Major emphasis is being placed on the film industry in that part of the world. I know this from young Irish people who are working in the film industry in Australia. I received an e-mail last week from someone telling me we could learn from what is happening in Australia and New Zealand.

The Irish Film Board is responsible for the creation of approximately 31,000 jobs in the last five years. Those figures stand up because it is easy to quantify jobs in the industry. Some are part-time and some are on longer projects, but when one adds the various types of jobs and calculates part-time equivalence, one sees that the industry is job intensive. About 5,500 people are working in the film industry. There are peaks and troughs depending on the level of activity at a particular time. Generally, there has been much activity in several aspects of the film industry, including documentary, animation and the commercial sector. There are great opportunities in the commercial sector, which is worth about €60 million. Many more commercials could be made in Ireland.

Senator O'Keeffe obviously has a passion for the film industry. It is good to know there is someone in the House with that passion. Her family connection with Tom Cooper and with Kerry is very important. I look forward to speaking to her in the future about the film industry. In that context, she may be able to come to one of the events in Kerry and even speak about Tom Cooper. He deserves to be honoured. We hear about "The Dawn" but we do not hear about Tom Cooper.

I cannot claim credit for the report, Creative Capital: Building Ireland's Audiovisual Creative Economy. It was presented to me when I came into the Department. My officials, Mr. Niall O'Donoghue and others, have been very much involved in this project. It is an ambitious report. The objective is to have 10,000 people employed in the film industry in five years time producing more than €1 billion. That is achievable from what I see. It brings together different elements of the industry, as can be seen in Appendix lV of the report. The idea of a dedicated business development unit is covered in the report.

The Creative West brand is also important. A large number of productions come from India to places like Switzerland simply for the landscape. They are not aware of the landscape we can offer. The landscape of the west of Ireland is unique, because of our latitude, weather, coastline, biodiversity and many other natural factors. Those companies could come and do some of their shooting of commercials or films in Ireland. We have not fully capitalised on that.

There is great scope for co-productions. Last summer, I signed a co-production agreement between Luxembourg and Ireland. That will lead to important funding for "At Swim-Two-Birds". That film will happen now. Co-productions are important and we are quite good at doing them.

Last summer, film interests came together in Galway and formed the Galway Film Partnership. For anyone who wants to make a film in Galway, the partnership provides a contact person with the Garda, the county council, the Irish Film Board and other bodies. The Galway Film Partnership could be a prototype for the rest of the country.

Senator Susan O’Keeffe

Galway could be a hub with spokes in smaller towns such as Sligo, Castlebar or Ballina.

Deputy Jimmy Deenihan

The Galway partnership is connected with Mayo, Sligo and Clare. It does reach out. When I launched the partnership I asked that very question and met people with film interests in the different counties. This is a good example of what Creative West could do. The west has unique characteristics and attractions for film producers. It is a directors' and producers' dream. One does not need to create anything. It is already there. One does not have to create effects because one can get them from nature.

I thank Senators for their contributions. I know other Senators who are present would like to have made a contribution. It is for the Cathaoirleach to say whether they will have a chance to speak.

I would like to come back to the House to speak about the decade of commemorations, which Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú mentioned. I hope our decade of commemorations will challenge our attitudes, the way we treat each other and our creativity. I hope the decade will be a cultural event and that we can celebrate the commemorations in a more mature fashion than we could have done 50, 30 or even 20 years ago. We have developed as a nation. Senator Ó Murchú is aware of a concert I was involved in last Saturday night in the Ulster Hall in Belfast, with performers from south and north of the Border. I was there with my counterpart in Northern Ireland, Carál Ní Chuilín, MLA, and it was a very successful event. However, ten years ago one would not have been able to do this because it would have posed a security risk. It was just like being at an event in the National Concert Hall. People have changed their attitude towards each other and matured a great deal. We can now have a mature debate on the issue of commemorations. I am really looking forward to it because it will challenge us as a country. However, it will give us a great opportunity to break down barriers and challenge old suspicions. It will also provide us with a platform from which we can build a new Ireland, a new republic. We could have a very interesting debate on the issue. That is the reason I would like to return to the Seanad to provide all Members with an opportunity to express their views on what they believe should be commemorated. In one day in this House I am sure I could pick up a number of good ideas to set the agenda for a period of ten years. I again thank Members and look forward to having that opportunity.

Question put and agreed to.