Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response and acknowledge the spirit in which he has offered those words. He has given a commitment to seek to explore and stretch whatever flexibility may be available in the course of discussions with the European Commission. The regional uplift has been welcomed as a positive step but I ask the Minister to consider it from the perspective of people involved in this sector across Cork city and county. They are now in a worse position relative to the rest of the country, with the exception of the other excluded areas including Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare and Meath and the three local electoral areas of Kells, Athy and Arklow. That is the position in which they find themselves. They are of the view that existing jobs and the lives of stakeholders in the sector in Cork city and county will be negatively affected for the next five years. Obviously, when it comes to investment decisions the fact that there is less tax relief available when this comes into effect for productions in Cork city and county than in surrounding counties and elsewhere in the country, apart from the other excluded zones, puts Cork at a disadvantage.

I am not going to press the amendment but ask the Minister to reaffirm that he will, in a genuine way, explore with the European Commission and with departmental officials the possibility of including Cork city and county within the scope of this relief scheme. If not, I ask him to consult other stakeholders, including Screen Ireland, to see what supports might be available to counterbalance the impact of this.

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