Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)

There is no point in the Minister telling us how good things are when the reality is the income from film is a tenth of what it was in 2003. We have spoken before about section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act, which is one element of what is wrong. As the Minister knows, the British have wiped our eye in that regard by copying our incentives and trumping them. That left us in a very difficult position. The very fact we have had an office in Los Angeles for over a year without even a sign or nibble at a chance to bring movies to Ireland is indicative of how serious is the matter.

There are more fundamental problems and the Minister cannot sit back and argue the Irish Film Board has to do it all. The Minister should have a hands-on approach and there is a need for some kind of direction. Our industry costs are way above everywhere else, we are uncompetitive and the only studio we have is half the required size. We have no computer-generated imaging facilities or film laboratory. With these types of serious systemic and structural problems, the industry will not grow. The Minister must show leadership and take the industry's problems seriously.

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