Malcolm Noonan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh na hAirí. I welcome the Ministers. I will make one quick point before I focus on my questions. Regarding the Arts Council, my experience over the last number of years is that, under Maureen Kennelly's stewardship, it has brought a lot of inclusivity. I have attended an awful lot of events and have seen funding from the Arts Council that has brought that inclusivity, particularly for minority groups, over those years. We may think it is a lot of money but it is not. We underfund the arts generally. The arts need continued uplift.

I will focus on the burgeoning animation sector, which has grown significantly in recent years thanks, in no small part, to support from Government. Much of it is located in my home town of Kilkenny, with Cartoon Saloon and Lighthouse Studios. At peak production, with film and TV productions, up to 800 people from all over the world can be working in Kilkenny. It is a really important sector and it is critically important that the Department continue to support it, notwithstanding the elements that need to be introduced in the broadcasting Bill.

The issues around public broadcasting and Irish content and productions are significant. One area that has been a challenge over the years is section 481. It is really important. While this is an issue for the Department of Finance, section 481 has been an important incentive for audiovisual production in Ireland and it also encourages policies that promote regional development. Including the introduction of regional development uplift ensures creative industries outside Dublin and Wicklow benefit from national supports, and I know the Minister was in Wicklow yesterday. It is also important that the Minister give a commitment to extending the enhanced section 481 credit for TV productions that meet a higher cultural standard.

On general issues, I highlight the need for a commitment to minimum annual spending on Irish-produced films, documentaries and animated works and a formal animation policy from the Department that would recognise the value of Irish animation and the cultural contribution it gives, not just to the State but internationally as well.