Mr. James Hickey:

Some of the regions are actually excluded. The Deputy might be familiar with the map from other circumstances. We have to take a look at exactly how regional uplift will work but we definitely need to encourage production funding in the regions. I welcome the fact that Screen Ireland has announced €3.5 million funding for regional productions as part of the package for 2023. We hope that will be in place as soon as possible because it is urgent.

With the permission of the Chair, I would like to mention, as has already been touched on by Ms Glennane, the sad passing of James Flynn. He was a member of Screen Producers Ireland and was on the board for many years. He is a great loss to Irish film and television production. He was one of the great producers in Ireland and his is an extraordinarily sad loss. We send our condolences to his family, in particular to his wife, Juanita, on their extraordinarily sad loss. It is a shock for somebody of that age to be taken away. As far as we were concerned, there were many more years of great work for James to undertake. His is an enormous loss to the sector.