Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister. I have no particular difficulty with this change. The Minister has not given us any great understanding of the need to achieve this or what significant difference it will make whether we call it the Irish Film Board, Screen Ireland or Fís Éireann. In fact, I wonder about the translation, "Fís Éireann". I do not know whether that is the most appropriate translation of what the Minister is proposing but I assume her officials have looked at that.

I am conscious that the British Film Institute has not renamed itself to, for example, "Screen UK", but it is successful. Bord Scannán na hÉireann or the Irish Film Board has been successful. It would be appropriate to recognise the outstanding service given by the late great Bill O'Herlihy to that particular board and to acknowledge the considerable success this country has experienced in recent years in the audiovisual sector. It has been most impressive. The list of international awards coming to the sector has been impressive. I read of a figure of €550 million of a benefit to the economy, with 6,000 employed in the sector and more than 500 small enterprises involved.

All this is very positive and the future looks bright. Every Deputy wants to support the continued expansion and development of the talent and genius that exists in the sector and the Minister is committed to it. While we have no difficulty with the proposal, I do not see it as a matter of major significance requiring legislation. I would like to be further convinced that in renaming the Irish Film Board, something else is happening in the Department - that it marks a willingness on the part of the Department to more actively and aggressively support and promote the work of the board and achieve greater investment in it.

Investment in the sector returns real dividends to the Irish economy through both the employment opportunities that can be generated and the way it conveys to the world a sense of the dynamism that exists in Ireland. It is probably the most powerful method we have of communicating with the world, of saying Ireland is open for business across a spectrum of areas in which the country can avail of international investment and encourage the continued development of the tourism sector. While the tourism sector is doing well, we must continue to grow it into the future. I support what the Minister is doing, but I would like to hear that there is additional oomph behind it. My party has no problem with what the Minister is about.

See this speech in context