Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter. The budget contained a lot of good news for film and television production, such as the extension of section 481, which provides certainty to the sector. It is welcome that an additional €7.3 million is being allocated to TG4. Slightly separate but equally important is the establishment of the new media fund, which is welcome.

As the Minister of State will be aware, the film, television, animation and content creation sector continues to boom. The Government has in place an audiovisual action plan that was adopted in June 2018. The report of the Future of Media Commission sets out several objectives in respect of where media and content creation in Ireland will go. The Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill, which will soon be passed by these Houses, will result in the establishment of a new media commission. As part of that, there will be a content levy fund to help with production. All of that is positive but we need to look at the longer-term strategy. How can we ensure that Ireland becomes a global hub for content creation, attracting international film and television production, but also look at how we can support culturally significant Irish production?

There is a lot of good news in the creation of new studio space. For instance, there is the development of Hammerlake Studios in Mullingar. More recently, An Bord Pleanála approved planning permission for Tara Studios, just north of Gorey, on my home turf, which will be the largest film and television production studio in the country. In a short time the amount of studio space in Ireland will almost quadruple. We have excellent independent production firms based here but there is also strong interest from streaming companies and other international production companies in coming here. We have all the right conditions.

It is important that we get clarity in respect of where responsibility lies between the new media commission and Screen Ireland with regard to film development and promotion, and also whether there is a role for the Arts Council. In the context of the review of section 481, it is concerning that the Department of Finance always regards it as almost cost-neutral. We need to look at those figures again because there is a genuine benefit to the economy from having international film production based here. It is not just the money that brings into local economies where the films are being shot and what is generated here domestically, it also relates to tourism and the image of Ireland that is projected internationally.

We are extremely lucky. At the moment, "Vikings: Valhalla" is being shot at Ashford Studios, while we culturally significant and beautiful films such as "An Cailín Ciúin" have been produced. This is a real boom time for the Irish content creation industry but we need to look at where we are going in the next decade. By the way, content creation is not confined to film, television and animation. We need to consider how we will provide content for the metaverse and to support some of those new technologies. Although the audiovisual action plan is in place, we need far more clarity in respect of which agencies are going to lead on specific issues, particularly given the creation of new agencies.In addition, at Government level, while I know there are efforts being made to do this, we should set out very clearly what our objects are over the next decade.