Dr. Annie Doona:

I thank the cathaoirleach and members of the Joint Committee on Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht for their invitation to address them. I am delighted to be here on behalf of the Irish Film Board. We sent the committee copies of our strategic plan and catalogue for 2016. I will address my vision for and outline my credentials as chairperson designate of the Irish Film Board. I have been acting chairperson since June 2015, following the passing of Bill O'Herlihy, prior to which I was a board member for two years. The current board will finish its term in 2017. Therefore, I will be chairperson for a short period.

I am president of the Institute of Art, Design and Technology, IADT, a higher education institute specialising in the creative and cultural industries, and have a background in film and the cultural sector. The IADT includes the national film school and associated programmes.

I have extensive board experience. I was a board member of the National Digital Research Council, Institutes of Technology Ireland and Dún Laoghaire Adult Education Board. I was secretary of my daughter's PTA for three years. Those members who have been involved with PTAs will understand the experience one gains in that regard. Therefore, I bring to the board extensive experience in the creative and cultural sector. I also bring a particular focus on diversity and gender equality, something the board was interested in pursuing and which has been a particular passion of mine.

It is an incredibly exciting and prosperous time for Irish film. The committee will have seen our film catalogue for 2016. The Oscar nominations received in 2015 and the awards we received, nationally and internationally, were tremendous, not only in terms of the economic benefits to Ireland from the Irish film industry but also in terms of the social and cultural benefits and Ireland's reputation abroad as a nation of great storytellers and film makers. I am excited to be part of a film industry that is so interesting and thriving. In 2015-16 Irish films took in over $147 million at the worldwide box office and already this year the new crop of Irish films, including "The Young Offenders" which is set in Cork, "A Date for Mad Mary" which is set in Drogheda and "The Siege of Jadotville", are doing incredibly well at the box office. As chairperson, I look forward to seeing successes equal to those in 2015 and I hope international awards and accolades in 2016. This achievement is the result of continued investment by successive Governments and the Department in film and the arts. We note that Culture 2025 is up for discussion. We have representatives involved in that discussion. As a film board, we are delighted to see the arts and culture being given such a central position in the programme for Government, which is welcome. Continued investment is important, not only to produce home-grown talent, but also to extend film-making and film studios into the regions.

We continue to support festivals. We support the Dingle and Dublin animation festivals, the Galway Film Fleadh and the Cork Film Festival. It is important to me, as chairpersons, that film-making is not Dublin centric but is enjoyed and has economic benefits in the regions. Section 5 of our document is entitled, carpe diem- seize the day - because what we need to do now is capitalise on that success. What I have done with the board in the development of our new strategy is outline in section 6 a number of things that are important to our continued success. They include the economic benefits, including the growing number of jobs and the new film studios in Limerick; the importance of training and education which, obviously, sit well with my background in higher education; and building audiences, both in Ireland and internationally. Earlier this year we were in Cannes where it was delightful to be approached by people from so many countries looking to participate in co-productions with us.

I must mention "Star Wars" which has been important in highlighting the fantastic landscape and locations available in Ireland for film companies. We want to increase inward investment and productions. We like participating in co-productions, not only with UK companies. We have also worked with Canadian companies. We work with companies in countries all across the world and want to continue doing so.

In terms of training and further education, my institution includes the national film school, but, clearly, there is a real need to develop the film-making talent of the future across the industry, not only actors but also those who work in front of and behind the camera. It is good that Screen Training Ireland has become part of the Irish Film Board while I have been chairperson in order that there is a coherent approach to training.

I will finish on the issue of funding.

It requires long-term investment to produce a movie and to develop the talent. Lenny Abrahamson is a good example of that. He has been supported from very early days from his earliest films such as "Adam and Paul" through to his internationally acclaimed success with "Room" but we require that continued investment and confidence in the film industry. We are looking to the Department and the Government to continue that support. We are delighted to see such a good reference in the programme for Government. We are developing animation and film - all of the things I have spoken about - and I hope the committee has taken the time to read our statement. I again thank the committee for allowing me as chair designate to address it.