Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 9 December 2020

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht

Impact of Covid-19 on the Film and Television Industry: Discussion

Mr. Stuart Switzer:

I will work backwards to address the Deputy's question. Expenditure by our national broadcaster, RTÉ, is really important. Under the legislation, it is obliged to spend €40 million per year in the independent sector. As far as we are concerned in SPI, the expenditure in 2020 will be about €20 million. Therefore, it is really important that the €20 million that will not have been spent this year be carried forward to next year. Expenditure by our national broadcaster is on domestic-facing programmes but it is also the touchpaper that results in some seed funding to build international television projects. One that may be close to the Deputy's heart is that of a Wexfordwoman, Bríona Nic Dhiarmada, who was the brain behind "1916: The Irish Rebellion", which we made over two years. Ten percent of the budget came from Ireland and 90% came from abroad. It was screened in over 60 countries. A small amount of seed capital from this country can grow from little acorns. That is really important to the television side of the business. The film and drama side works in a different way. It is multi-funded, etc., but it is really interesting. Hailing from somewhere not far from Wexford, I wish those concerned the best of luck with the studio.

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