Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the contributors for helping to develop my understanding of the whole industry. On the broader picture of things, given the enormous potential the sector has for employment at many levels and to develop Ireland's reputation, we need to dramatically increase the amount of Government investment in film and the arts generally. It has been the poor relation of Government spending for a long time. That is a general comment. I am on the side of people who want to develop the film industry and I recognise the potential. I am, however, deeply concerned about some of the things I have heard today, and which I have learned recently. I particularly acknowledge the Irish Film Workers Association, members of which have acquainted me with their experience and who will appear before the committee in a few weeks. They paint a not very pleasant picture. First, I note an awful lot of money is going into the section 481 tax break. The witnesses may tell me if I have the figures right, and I may make silly mistakes here, but is it correct that in 2016, €258 million was given out in tax expenditures?