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

At many levels, I welcome what the Minister says, but there are a few details I would like to hear to be more assured. First, there should be absolutely no consideration of the Government selling its stake in Ardmore. Critical to maintaining it is for the Government to retain that stake.

The zoning itself is not sufficient protection because the facility could be bought, somebody could sit on it for a couple of years and if it is left derelict, the zoning could be changed further down the line. What we need now is intervention of a level sufficient to ensure that it continues as a working studio, whether that is a viable film-making concern taking over the private share that is being sold by Mr. Ossie Kilkenny and Mr. Paul McGuinness, facilitating a workers' buy-out as has been suggested or even full-scale nationalisation if that is necessary in order to sustain the facility.

I would not want to put a figure on the facility's overall value but it was suggested at yesterday's meeting that the economic impact in one year of that studio - working at full capacity and in full production - is three or four times' the amount for which it might be sold. The value to the local area and the economy in terms of employment is several multiples of what we might have to pay for it if we decided to nationalise it, if that is necessary. What we need is a commitment that no option will be considered that will lead to its closure and that whatever action is necessary to ensure its survival will be taken by the Government.

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