Kieran Phelan (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2006 which will amend the 2000 legislation to increase the maximum of the aggregate amount of any investments, loans, grants or moneys provided by the board from £80 million to €200 million. This money will be put towards the cost of making films and providing training in all aspects of film production.

Without amending the current legislation, the Irish Film Board will reach the statutory limit by year-end, even taking into account its recently announced additional allocation. The board's work is crucial to both arts and tourism and, as such, it is important to enact the legislation to support the ongoing assistance it provides to the sector.

The Irish Film Board assists and actively encourages the making of films in the State and also works towards developing an industry for the making of films. The board promotes participation in international collaborative projects and regards, when it perceives to be appropriate, the need for film-making to be an expression of national culture.

Historically, Ireland has played host to a relatively small share of the global film market, approximately 1% of US films and on average 3.2% of UK films each year. International competition to secure film productions is fierce. We must continue to be active in the marketplace to ensure Ireland grows as a venue for major film productions. Securing the production of such films not only impacts on the arts scene but also on the economy and positively affects tourism following the release of a film. The recent success of the "Wind that Shakes the Barley" at the Palme D'Or shows we are succeeding in producing quality films. We want to repeat these types of successes through supporting the work of the Irish Film Board. I give the Bill my full support.