Ms Susan Kirby:

Go raibh míle maith agat. We welcomed the cost-benefit analysis report. It is a detailed report. It sets the policy context of the investment of section 481 on behalf of the State in so far as it places it firmly within Government policy to support the arts and, within that, the audiovisual sector. It points clearly to a rigorous process attached to section 481 and details the process the producer companies go through to attain section 481. It also speaks widely to the great progress that has been made. The last time the cost-benefit analysis was published was 2019. It speaks in detail to the industry development test and the cultural test which are attached to section 481. On the industry test, which is part of the foundation of quality employment, it makes the point that:

Since the publication of the first WRC report on the Irish Film and Television Drama Production Sector, significant progress has been made in relation to agreements between employers and worker representatives.

[...]

The introduction of these two industry agreements, negotiated and agreed between employees and producer representative bodies, demonstrate the ongoing focus on promoting positive work practices to ensure that the Irish audio-visual industry is attractive to employees and as a location in which to produce feature film and high-end TV drama.

It is an important point that is made in the cost-benefit analysis.

The Deputy raised the ultimate net economic being negative. There are a number of factors to that. That was also the case in a previous analysis. The factors include the dead weighting attached to the economic findings. There is an interesting table in the cost-benefit analysis, which I am sure the Deputies have read. It is a fascinating document. If we remove the dead weight and the concept of shadow costs of labour, for example, the cost-benefit analysis will quickly report a positive and points to the necessity to apply to what I referred to as the cultural dividend. The Deputy also referred to the intangibles. It is around that creative, cultural dividend delivered by section 481.

The recommendations from the cost-benefit analysis were to extend section 481, which all here have welcomed. It looked to have more data, and, again, we would welcome if more quality data was gathered to allow us create the economic case around section 481. It also pointed to the idea that Screen Ireland will be producing a cultural dividend report which will allow us to apply the full economic and cultural benefit of section 481. I hope that answers the question.