Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The case is very well made. I thank Senator Byrne for his questions. As Senator Warfield is not available I will make a contribution. I thank the witnesses so much for covering this entire sector, up, down, inside and round about again. We very much appreciate that. From my knowledge of my colleagues, the witnesses are speaking to the converted. Many of us have been watching TV over the past year or so. We watched "Normal People" and "Smother". It creates great excitement in any household to see Irish films and drama appearing on our screens. The witnesses are correct: people are really hungry for that. The Irish population, including all the new Irish living in this country, are really enthusiastic about it. It is a storytelling exercise, as well as everything else.

Many of the questions I wanted to ask have been asked but I am curious about screen tourism, which Ms Kirby referred to. It is an aspect of tourism I had not considered as a category. She is correct: we know that Lahinch has been swamped with visitors and people have been going to Sligo after "Normal People". Enniskerry has seen a surge in visitors since "Disenchanted" started filming. People have been calling for coffee or a newspaper just to see the village who might not have had a reason to visit there before. Has Fáilte Ireland interacted with the witnesses about screen tourism? Has there been any formal mapping out of the island in that regard? I see it as something that has great potential. It identifies hidden gems around this island that people would not ordinarily visit. Perhaps Ms Kirby could comment a little further on that.

Mr. Hickey covered the investment obligations extensively. For the witnesses, the levy is the key and that is what will bring the investments here. It is disappointing that domestic funding has decreased over the years. Mr. Hickey made the point very well that this is about correcting it rather than any big source of investment. It is realigning what should always have been there in terms of domestic funding. The witnesses are speaking to the converted.

I would like to hear a bit more from Ms Callery. She made some very interesting comments on the dysfunction of the market and she also made a point about the levy.

I will go to Ms Kirby first to talk about screen tourism and if there has been any engagement with Fáilte Ireland on it.