Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 27 May 2020
1091. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if her attention has been drawn to plans to develop a new film and television studio in the greater Dublin area; and if so, the support which will be provided to this development. [7379/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that on 11 May last, elected members of South Dublin County Council agreed to the sale of 48 acres at Grange Castle Business Park to Lens Media Limited and that there are plans that that the site will be used for the construction of a media park which will incorporate sound stages, workshop space and office space and will facilitate film, TV and digital content production. Planned new studio facilities would be a welcome addition to the existing studio infrastructure in Ireland. Financial support to private sector infrastructure projects are subject to European State Aid rules.
Ireland’s reputation as a location for production - both inward and indigenous - continues to grow. The Government highly values the cultural, creative and economic potential of Ireland’s audiovisual industry, as reflected in the incorporation of €200m to be invested in the industry through Screen Ireland over the 10 years to 2027 and the Audiovisual Action Plan. Government support for the sector is also provided through the section 481 tax credit and training and skills development initiatives as part of that process have contributed to growing Ireland’s skilled audiovisual workforce, making Ireland an attractive destination for film-making. This has given rise to an increased demand for film studio space across the country. Expansions of high quality studio space have already taken place in areas such as Troy Studios in Limerick and a number of major international projects have chosen to film on location in Ireland. While the current COVID-19 crisis has lead to the temporary cessation of live action productions, it is hoped that the easing of restrictions in the coming weeks and months will allow the resumption of work already in the pipeline. In addition, in response to the lack of production activity at this time, measures introduced by Screen Ireland to support the industry are designed to aid production companies and creative talent in developing a strong slate of quality projects, so that the industry can emerge from the current situation in a position to scale up production activity in studios across the country and respond to the global rise in demand for audiovisual content. I look forward to the development of this proposed media park in Dublin and the contribution it will make to growing the audiovisual sector in Ireland.
