Ms Sarah Glennane:

I thank Deputy Munster. I appreciate the opportunity to represent composers today. Our organisation represents composers who create original music whether it is in film, television, any of the Netflix shows people are watching or on YouTube. Currently, composers have not been accessing as much benefit from the existing funds as we would like to see with section 481.

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, sound and vision scheme, is only benefitting 30% of the productions that get the funding or commissioning of Irish composers to create the music. We would see there being a gap. I welcome Mr. Finn including in his submission the need for the section 481 cultural test to reference music as well. We would see there being a gap and an opportunity, however. If we were to action this levy and do it with urgency, there will be an opportunity from funding to create more commissioning of Irish music and allow Irish creative music to be heard by global audiences.

Our members include the composer of the original score for An Cailín Ciúin. I would see a crossover in Mr. de Spáinn's submission with our submission as well. Our members also include Ms Natasa Paulberg, another composer within the guild who recently scored the music to the civil war documentary that was shown on RTÉ and used the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Ms Eímear Noone is another member of ours who works regularly with orchestras. There is much benefit, therefore, not just for Irish composers but also for performers. If we are allowed to keep hold of the rights that come with the music, there will be a return to the creative economy in the form of music royalties and intellectual property, both to the creators and performers of the music, as Mr. Finn can outline further.

Irish audiences are increasingly turning to digital media. They deserve a return on that spend to come back into the economy. If their children can benefit from the Creative Ireland opportunities of putting an instrument in their hands, they might fall in love with the instrument and want to grow up to be composers. We would like to think they could have a career, be based in Ireland and return the investment of that Creative Ireland instrument back to the Irish economy. We think it is very important.