Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Government's commitment to supporting artists and creative people has undergone rapid and immense transformation in recent years due to equally monumental challenges faced by the creative communities. Culture and creativity are and will remain at the heart of Government policy, but our continuing priority is to ensure this creativity is allowed to thrive with the necessary supports.

The audiovisual action plan was launched in June 2018. This is an industry-wide, long-term plan under the Creative Ireland programme, developed to support the Government's ambition to enable Ireland to become, as the Senator wants, a global hub for the production of film, TV drama and animation. The tax incentive for the screen industries the Senator mentioned, section 481, has been a cornerstone of the Irish screen industry since its implementation in various forms in 1987. Its legacy speaks for itself in the creative and cultural value it has generated, both in terms of discovering and supporting new Irish voices, as well as showcasing Ireland's power as an international partner and a cultural force across film, television and animation, not to mention a breath-taking location offering historical and natural beauty. As the Senator will be aware, the Minister for Finance announced the extension to section 481 beyond the current end date of 2024, until December 2028, which gives certainty to the sector.

The economic value of section 481 is also important in what it brings to our industry in terms of infrastructure, upskilling and further training for crew. It cannot be underestimated in this endeavour. I heard what the Senator said but research has shown that 87% of mobile productions confirmed that they would have not located their production in Ireland without the support of this incentive.

The pilot basic income for the arts scheme was introduced in September for 2,000 artists. Some 204 of these are recorded as working in film, which is the third largest category after visual artists and musicians.

The Department recognises the enormous success of the Irish screen industry to date and the economic and cultural power that this sector produces both at home and abroad. The Department has been proud to support Screen Ireland throughout and, in particular, to provide further supports in the budget.

My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, was delighted to showcase and promote the Irish screen industry during a recent trade mission to Los Angeles. One of the main reasons we have a consulate in Los Angeles is that the film industry, and the creatives and investors connected with it, are located in the area. The purpose of the meeting was to build on those international partnerships by updating key industry partners on the continued evolution and success of the sector in Ireland. The Minister was able to emphasise and continue the ongoing Government support for the Irish screen industry.

Last year was a record year for screen production in Ireland. This is extraordinary post Covid and demonstrates resilience and innovation in the industry in Ireland. The €500 million spend in 2021 on jobs and local goods and services was the highest ever achieved.

In film, the Cine4 scheme has produced incredible feature film work in the Irish language, from the sweet and heartwarming recent release "Róise & Frank" to, as the Senator mentioned, an scannán álainn "An Cailín Ciúin", a cuireadh le chéile agus a taifeadadh i mo Dháilcheantar féin. That is obviously a box office record-breaking milestone for Irish-language cinema. It has been remarked upon in incredible reviews the world over. The growth of local Irish TV drama has almost tripled in production spend since Screen Ireland began to support the sector with development funding in 2015.

The Minister and the Government remain committed to supporting the Irish screen industry and continue to engage with Screen Ireland and stakeholders on issues important to the sector.

I thank Senator Malcolm Byrne and the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sports and Media on the recent launch of the report, A Safe and Respectful Working Environment in the Arts. It was highly appreciated. Well done to all involved.