Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for coming before the committee and outlining the programme of the Department. They referred to the audio-visual programme and I assume some funding in the Department's programme goes to film festivals. I have to commend the officials if they are funding film festivals following the festival in Schull last week. It was phenomenal for our local community. It was slightly out of season and shows the benefit to the rural community when any funding goes to good use. Schull was packed with all sorts of famous and ordinary people who came to enjoy the film festival for a week. I know that the organisers have many plans for the future and they will, hopefully, come before the committee in September to explain where they have come from and where they are going. I would appreciate if the Department would keep in close contact with them because this is one of the best rural film festivals in the country.