Ms Sarah Glennane:

The Joint Creative Audiovisual Sectoral Group would like to thank the committee for its invitation to attend today, and for their attentive interest to the idea of the content levy to date.

As the committee will be aware, the content levy industry group was formed in 2020 to advocate, pan-industry, on the specific issue of the audiovisual media services directive, AVMSD, content levy. We will keep our submission today to this topic.

The committee have been significant supporters of our campaign to get the content levy introduced into Ireland and we can see the benefits of this support through the recently passed Online Safety and Media Regulation Act.

As part of the legislation that will govern the new content levy, as outlined in today’s document, some of the welcome highlights include: new rules governing IP ownership; ensuring independent producers are attached to projects; and much needed funding for project development. The inclusion of the option to create a content levy of the type that the sector has been advocating for within the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act was welcomed, as is the commitment within the Future of Media Commission Report: Implementation Strategy & Action Plan, to progress with further consultation and analysis.

While these are important developments, we would once again underscore the urgency of these considerations converting to action and much-needed additional funding.

As outlined within our submission and today's briefing document, many other countries across Europe are in the process of creating investment funds by the creation of a levy and it is critically important that Ireland does not lag behind and lose out.

The reality of the action plan recommendations could mean that the levy is not up and running until the third and fourth quarter of 2026, at which point Ireland would have missed out on nearly €100 million worth of additional investment in the sector. This is a situation we are eager to avoid.

We see the content levy fund as a significant driver of international expansion for original Irish stories and skills helping to promote and create original Irish content for both at-home and international audiences on global platforms.

A key element of any creator's work on a production is the retention of IP. This retention of IP enables creators to invest in their creative practice and develop their abilities. Other European countries have actioned their levies already. These levies have generated millions of additional investment moneys for the creative sectors in these countries. Meanwhile, in Ireland, market realities and cost inflation are making the challenge of attracting inward investment ever-more acute. Brexit continues to create additional cost and logistical complexities, inflation is putting low to mid-budget screen productions under severe pressure, and fears of a global recession are reducing the amount and the range of investment options in the global market.

This is why Ireland must fight to remain a compelling and competitive option within the overall content investment landscape. Section 481, the regional uplift fund and the creation of a content levy all have a meaningful role to play in creating exactly the kind of economic stimulus that is required. The screen servicing sector is strong, including studio hire, catering, accommodation and so on. However, the creation of premium content, originating within Ireland, which retains intellectual property rights within the country, is in a less healthy state. Our creators are ambitious, their talent is being recognised on the global stage and they want to stay in Ireland to help to build a sustainable creative industry here in their native country. A fund which supports high-value content, developed and created in Ireland, aimed at domestic and international audiences will help deliver this vision, bringing Irish stories to international content providers, and will give a return to Irish and international audiences from their investment in these platforms. It will have significant extra benefits such as screen tourism. From the Golden Globes to the BAFTAs, and on to the Oscars, the potential for Ireland to showcase the creative talent within the country is enormous but this potential cannot be realised without appropriate support, so we hope that all issues relating to the creation of a content levy are treated with due attention and urgency. Overall, it should be recognised that when the screen sector thrives, Ireland Inc. benefits.