Ms Elaine Geraghty:

I thank the committee for the invitation to address it and speak with it about working conditions and the development of the Irish film industry. I am the chief executive of Screen Producers Ireland, SPI, which is the national representative organisation of independent film, television and animation production companies. As employers in the Irish creative industries, our members comprise a range of production companies from young first-time producers to producers of large-scale high-end film and TV drama. Productions include work such as "Vikings", "Ripper Street", "Penny Dreadful", "Room to Improve", "Red Rock", "Ros na Rún" and "Nowhere Fast", as well as Oscar nominated films such as "Room" and "Brooklyn". We hope the report conducted by Olsberg SPI Limited - no relation - on the economic analysis of our screen-based creative industries will be published soon. In its absence, to give the committee a sense of scale of the industry, "Penny Dreadful" alone employed 1,200 cast and crew over the course of production. This is a similar number to that currently employed by Diageo in Ireland. In addition, the combined expenditure of "Penny Dreadful" and "Ripper Street" in Ireland in the period during production was more than €50 million.

Ireland has a long history of supporting its film and television industry through fiscal incentives. The section 481 tax incentive is essential in supporting Ireland's production landscape. It has a positive impact on both indigenously produced content and attracting incoming productions, resulting in the creation of high-end jobs and contributing to Ireland's reputation as a global, high-tech, digital and creative content hub.

In 2016 Irish productions committed to spend €265 million in the Irish economy as a direct result of section 481-certified projects. This was the highest level ever achieved since the incentive commenced and demonstrates the amount of inward investment the independent production sector can attract into Ireland. Incoming high-end TV drama remains the biggest contributor to this activity. It increased from €28 million in 2011 to €161 million in 2016. This year, SPI calls on the Government to extend section 481 in its current form beyond 2020. The extension and continuation of the section 481 incentive is even more important when considering the limited sources of other national funding and the support required, in particular, for indigenous productions.

The Irish Film Board plays an integral role in the success of the local economy, providing funding and support for indigenous productions, as well as some incoming ones. Between 2008 and 2015, capital funding for the Irish Film Board decreased by more than 40% and the Oireachtas grant for 2016 was €11.7 million. By comparison, Northern Ireland Screen's annual investment in production is budgeted at €16.3 million, and this in a market significantly smaller than that of the Republic of Ireland. We seek the reinstatement of that funding to 2008 levels of €20 million.

As mentioned earlier, incoming high-end TV drama contributes significantly to the industry but the industry comprises a range of production companies, with budgets ranging from less than €1 million to producers of large-scale high-end TV drama with budgets of over €20 million. Production activity is made up of a small number of large productions and a large number of small to medium-budget productions. The pipeline of productions required to ensure growth and sustainability of the industry ideally should consist of incoming high-end TV drama and film along with indigenous Irish productions. This balance would ensure a consistent pipeline of projects for a range of company sizes and employee skill sets.

An Irish producer company employs core full-time staff who work in the areas of production, development, administration, sales and marketing. They develop original projects and go to markets to secure the finance required to make the production. The core staff are involved at all stages of the production, a process that can often take up to three or four years. Crew are hired at the production stage. Crew recruitment levels and type are dependent on the available budget and, of course, genre of project. For example, a large-scale period drama would require a large crew with a particular skill set for this genre and the crew could be hired for six months at a time, while a medium budget film would employ a much smaller number of crew members for a shorter duration, possibly eight to ten weeks.

A production company could have several projects in development at any one time over the course of a year but it is possible that only one or two of the projects actually get to production stage. The timing for production of the project is dependent on available national and international funding. Due to the project-based nature of our industry, a single production company cannot provide full-time employment for 52 weeks of the year to production crew. However, the combined total of independent production companies can and do provide significant employment.

The employment status of those working in the industry comprises a mix of PAYE and self-employed. Rates of pay and general terms of conditions of employment have been collectively negotiated between SPI and the ICTU-recognised film group of unions. The minimum rates of pay listed in these agreements for the industry are well above the average industrial wage. The majority of people working in the industry are, in fact, paid in excess of the agreed minimum rates. Construction crew rates are above the most recent sectoral employment order, which is new legislation from October 2017, for the construction industry and the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union, TEEU, electrical minimum rates are above the TEEU industry rates for many sectors. Production companies must, and do, adhere to the legislation that is in place to protect employees, as well as to the negotiated collective agreements. This ensures that employees are provided with the best possible conditions while work is available.

The provision of training is essential and a priority to enable the industry to grow and develop new talent. The provision of training is also a key deliverable under section 481. The film industry is vibrant and has international accolades. It reflects the quality of training and the trained crew Ireland has to offer. While we do need a framework for national training, the reality is that most senior people in the film industry, for example heads of departments, started as trainees in the industry.

Screen Training Ireland is the national training and development agency for professionals working in the sector. The agency is working well but requires additional resources and support to enable it to implement the recommendations of the Crowe Horwarth report. One of the recommendations is a requirement to develop a national strategy for the screen industry to provide the strategic foundation for the ongoing development of policies and plans in respect of the audiovisual sector skills and the development of clear frameworks for the valuation and accreditation of training. Screen Training Ireland, in its 2017 annual review, stated it will undertake a review of the report and seek to implement the major recommendations.

Screen Producers Ireland considers itself to be a leader in good employment policy and practice. The #metoo and other campaigns brought the issue of sexual harassment into the spotlight. These have empowered victims to speak up by providing a platform as millions of women around the world share their stories. I am pleased to say that SPI and our members' approach to this issue has always been proactive. In 2017 we collaborated with our industry partners, Screen Training Ireland, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, SIPTU, the Irish Film Board and others, including Equity, in providing a half-day workshop on dignity in the workplace, where we continued to communicate the absolute importance of a safe and respectful working environment and ensuring that individuals are protected in the workplace. Following the workshop, SPI issued a suite of resources, including policy documents and promotional materials for display in offices and on sets. We were also proud to partner with Amplify Women Collective when it published its excellent harassment and bullying practical toolkit.

The creative industries are one of Ireland's great strengths.

Irish-made productions are enjoyed by audiences around the world. They enhance our reputation and provide high-value employment.

Individuals who work within this industry enjoy working in it because it is unique, creative and dynamic and provides the opportunity to work in a growing global industry. Irish crew members are valued and highly skilled. Their talents are visible on-screen and recognised by local and international awards.

To ensure the long-term sustainability and development of our sector, we require Government understanding of the cultural and economic value of the independent production sector. It is vitally important that Ireland continues its long history of maintaining a tax incentive for production. Without it, Ireland’s production sector simply would not exist. We call on the Government for an immediate commitment to extend the incentive in its current form beyond 2020.

I hope this very brief presentation gives the committee some helpful insights into the shape of the Irish film and TV drama sector and I will be happy to answer any questions members may have.