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

For years now, at the request of film crews in the Irish film industry, I have been raising the systematic abuse of fixed-term contracts by film production companies in receipt of public money. In practice, they leave workers wide open to blacklisting if they do not toe the line. I have also been raising the campaign of Irish Equity, including the performers, writers, directors and so on, who are campaigning against the use of buyout contracts whereby they are to sign away their rights to future royalties for their work.

My committee, the budget scrutiny committee, undertook an investigation into some of these issues at my request. It issued a report essentially vindicating the concerns of actors, performers and writers, stating these issues need to be addressed along with the abuse of fixed-term contracts by film production companies. Indeed, there is quite a substantial Irish Equity campaign on the issue of the buyout contracts.

Is the Government going to do anything about the recommendations in the report on these issues? Are we going to treat the film crews, writers, actors and directors – the people who actually make films happen – with respect so they will have proper, quality employment and proper remuneration for the work they do to enhance the culture of us all and the film industry in this country and stop the outrageous behaviour by film producers who are getting large amounts of public money but treating film crews, performers and creative workers in such an unacceptable way?

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