Mr. Ronan McCabe:

Owning one's IP is the only way one can build a company of any substance. One generates one's own ideas and if one owns them, that translates into revenue. If one takes one's project abroad, one generates revenue from one's own IP, which is then reinvested in the development of the next idea and the next project.

That secures jobs and creates new jobs. Animation alone employs more than 2,000 people. Those jobs tend to be long term and in many cases are permanent.

On the point regarding the regional side of things, animation is spread across the country. There are big animation hubs in Galway and Kilkenny, as well as in Dublin.

The retention of intellectual property, IP, creates a virtuous circle, rather than Irish companies becoming glorified outsourcing companies for international players. It also leaves a legacy of training, upskilling and career development. How it works in the context of the content levy is that the more finance an Irish studio can attach to a project before bringing it to the international market, the greater the amount of rights the Irish company can retain. It gives a bigger negotiating strength if one is bringing more funding to a project. This fund would help to achieve that.

As regards the tourism side, my colleagues in the live action sector can address it more than I can, but just as it relates to animation, we are currently considering devising an immersive experience for tourists to capitalise on the popularity of Irish animation. That would showcase animation and Ireland.