Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Vice Chairman.

I welcome Mr. O'Herlihy and congratulate him on his appointment as chairperson designate of the Irish Film Board. His curriculum vitae shows that it is very fitting for him to hold the position. He is well known in many sectors and will make a very fine chairperson. I am very keen on the regional aspect of his expertise. Ireland has great potential in the film industry. Such is my support for the development of this sector that I proposed the setting up of a film commission in County Offaly when I was a county councillor and I persuaded Offaly County Council to do so. It is known as Film Offaly and is very active. An offshoot was the organisation of a film festival, the only one in the county and it is an unusual one in that it targets young film makers. The regional aspect of encouraging film making is very important. The handy option is to focus activity on counties Wicklow and Dublin, which was the case in the film industry for a long time, mainly because of the availability of Ardmore Studios, but we have so much more to offer across the country. I ask Mr. O'Herlihy to outline his views on developing the scheme that was in place previously to fund filming outside the Dublin area. Is it possible to fund people to film in the regions?