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

I speak on behalf of hundreds of people working in the film industry who very much welcome investment from film companies coming into this country, making quality films and creating employment opportunities. However, these workers say section 481 tax breaks and the millions that are given out in loans to production companies based here are not providing, as section 481 requires such companies to do, "quality employment and training opportunities". The workers say that what is in fact happening is that the category of "trainee" is being ruthlessly abused. A person could be a trainee for 12 years, for example, and never actually get permanent employment. He or she is never qualified because there is no training structure whatsoever and the tax relief is just being abused. What is happening in the sector sounds very much like what is going on in construction. Very few people are directly or permanently employed and there is no proper training structure, just a lot of money going into these production companies without their giving the quality employment and training that film workers want and which the section 481 tax break requires is given as a condition. The workers say there is no oversight of this tax break, no governance and no enforcement and that, as a result, anyone who asks for direct PAYE employment, for example, will be blacklisted, there is bullying and the working time directive is being flagrantly abused in the industry. I ask the Minister to look seriously at this and meet representatives of the film workers, who are considering industrial action as we speak because they are so fed up with the situation in the film industry.

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