Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister, Deputy Mitchell O'Connor, is aware, Ardmore Studios is synonymous with the Irish film industry. It is, in effect, the birthplace of the Irish film industry as an industry. Since it opened in 1958, it has propelled Irish film making into the top flight of film making in the world.

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It has played host to some of the greatest actors in the world - Richard Burton, Fred Astaire, Mel Gibson and Ralph Fiennes. Some amazing films have been produced at Ardmore, winning a total of 14 Oscars and numerous BAFTAs, Emmys, Golden Globes, etc.

From the point of view of the local area, Ardmore Studios are critical. They are responsible for 500 direct jobs and thousands of indirect jobs. I understand that 500 people attended a public meeting in Bray last night -unfortunately, I could not be present because the House was debating the Stardust tragedy - at which it was stated that the studios are responsible for up to 8,000 or 9,000 indirect jobs. The Minister will be aware, not only from the Wicklow and Bray area, that there are many tradespeople, creative individuals and those merely who only appear in productions as extras who are constantly working in Ardmore. Any threat or possibility that Ardmore Studios might cease to operate would simply be unacceptable. It would be the destruction of a central part of our film heritage and culture and, obviously, a massive economic blow to a large number of people and to a wide catchment area.

I talked to some of the trade unionists involved, who welcomed the fact the Minister had engaged with them. What everybody wants to hear is that there will be a commitment that, one way or another, Ardmore Studios will be kept as a going concern and that whatever is necessary will be done to ensure that happens. Under no circumstances should we allow a situation whereby Ardmore might be bought by property speculators or whatever. The facility should be maintained. We should use initiatives at local level to ensure that the whole complex is zoned for film production only. The Government should also step in and take whatever action is necessary. Enterprise Ireland already has an obligation to ensure that the jobs and the industry are retained. Whatever other initiatives are necessary should be taken.

A point made by the workers who spoke to me earlier is that in so far as subsidies are given to domestic film production companies, there is an absence of the obligations on such companies to use facilities such as Ardmore. If this were done, it might ensure that there is joined-up thinking across the film sector.

A proposal of which the Minister will be aware is that relating to a possible buy-out by the workers. I am of the view that this would be the optimum solution, particularly as it would involve those with all the fantastic skills necessary for film production. Everybody I talk to in the film sector states that the technical skill level at Ardmore is second to none. A workers' buy-out, facilitated by the Government, would be another solution.

I hope the Minister can give us words of comfort to the effect that Ardmore Studios will be retained in order that they might play a critical role in Ireland's film industry.

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