Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have nine minutes. I intend to use them.

Gar and I were at school together from the age of four. It was Gar who got me into all these weird sci-fi shows, such as "Firefly". "Star Wars" is not that weird, but we used have these discussions. I remember one debate about Spielberg where, I think, he said Spielberg was an average director. I had never heard the likes of it. It is great to have them here. It is just great to see such enthusiasm around the Irish film and television sector and animation.

We have probably been guilty of falling over ourselves in terms of recent successes and how healthy the sector seems to be but what is clear, and the reason for this session, is that we cannot take this for granted. I suppose the whole point of this session is that we, as a committee, produce a report and get it done quick and in time for any pre-budget discussions. That is vital. This is why the witnesses contributions here are far more important than anything I have to say about west Cork and they need to use the opportunity so that it is put into the report and we can use that as leverage.

In terms of the regional uplift, places like Cork did not fair well under regional uplift. I am not too sad that not it is almost an equal playing field. I think it produces an opportunity to rectify that. What I want to get into here today is the nitty-gritty of that and all witnesses are free to answer.

I refer to reimagined regional uplift or ten-year strategies. Could the witnesses elaborate and go into more detail about how that might look? Mr. Muldoon already developed on it as to how maps might look. I do not think we are bound by EU state aid maps when one considers that the Leas-Chathaoirleach would often talk about the idea of introducing a capital programme for arts and film, which is a fantastic idea. I do not think we are bound by any state aid maps when it comes to allocating funding to GAA clubs, rugby clubs or athletics clubs. There is a precedent there. My first question is to whoever wants to take it. Could someone go into a bit more detail about how a ten-year strategy might look and how a re-imagined section 481 might look?