Aubrey McCarthy (Independent)

I, too, welcome the opportunity to speak on Second Stage of the Irish Film Board (Amendment) Bill 2025. This Bill raises the board's maximum aggregate funding from €500 million to €840 million. It is a decisive statement of intent from the State to back our creative industries at scale, to grow jobs and to secure Ireland's place on the international screen. I warmly support that ambition, but I also ask that we make sure that we allocate this capital in ways that maximise long-term cultural, economic and regional benefits.

Our film and television sector already punches far above its weight. It is a good news story worldwide. Irish actors and film-makers are among the most recognised globally when we think of names such as Saoirse Ronan, Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell, Liam Neeson, Brendan Gleeson and so many others. They have become household names worldwide in their careers. They demonstrate the global appetite for Irish talent and storytelling. These artists did not emerge in a vacuum, but are the product of investment, an ecosystem of training, regional theatre and small-scale productions, and craftspeople who deserve such sustained investment.

We are also living through a transformation. It is a different world out there in how audiences access the content, which the Minister of State mentioned, with streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Apple TV, YouTube and many others.They have created enormous demand for fresh high-quality content. That demand is a huge opportunity for Ireland. We can attract major productions here, not simply as location shoots, as it was before, but as long-term partnerships that build studio capacity here, nurture local crews and establish production hubs. If we can translate the global interest in Irish talent into sustainable jobs here, we need both capital and strategy. The ambition that we are talking about has to be matched by the confidence and purpose. One of the big and overriding issues facing the sector today is Screen Ireland's ongoing inability to progress contracts on active productions that it has already agreed to fund. They are contracts that are in the pipeline. There are projects that are languishing awaiting contract signatures, budget approvals or disbursements. That delay slows the entire industry, frustrates producers and talent, and undermines confidence among private and international partners and funders. In many cases, it appears to be the result of excess bureaucracy and understaffing. For a public agency that is meant to fund to catalyse that production, it must operate with the speed, clarity and sufficient capacity.

Alongside that slowdown in signing contracts, etc., there is also a perception within the sector that Screen Ireland has sometimes behaved more like a Hollywood studio than a State funder of culture. Commercial considerations are important, but when public money is being used to leverage private investment and maximise the economic impact, we have to be careful that the decisions are not driven primarily by fear of political or public blowback. Otherwise, we lose sight of the board's cultural remit. The result can be overly risk-averse decision making that shies away from supporting bold or challenging Irish voices. There are two paths that we need to look at. On one side, we need look at the under-resourcing and the delays in bureaucracy, and on the other, the overly commercial showbiz mindset that forgets the public purpose of cultural funding.

The board needs a sharpened focus, faster contract management and clear timelines, improving staffing and streamlined processes that enable producers to move from the green light to camera without unnecessary delays. I am involved in a charity for the last number of years and it is trying to finish the funding. It has done five years so far, but it needs to finish the funding to get it to screen time. Equally, Screen Ireland must regain vision and dynamism. The sector's renewal in recent decades was driven by public champions prepared to take risks on talent and ideas. Our recently retired President, Michael D. Higgins, was one of those people who was a visionary for the arts and he pushed. His commitment to culture helped a whole ecosystem where Irish storytelling and talent could flourish. Without that public support, political support and cultural leadership, we would not have the thriving industry that the Minister of State has spoken about today and which represents extraordinary talent.

The Bill's increased funding should be applied strategically. First, it should allow the additional capital to leverage inward streaming commissions by structuring co-investments that require training places, regional spend and clear environmental standards. Second, with the finance infrastructure, such as sound stages, post-production suites and studio capacity, Ireland can host multi-season productions, and we have proven that. Third, the funding needs to be attached to measurable skills to development, such as apprenticeships, investment in education in film, crew pathways and bursaries for new writers and directors from diverse backgrounds. Fourth, the cultural funding for first features, documentaries and Irish language projects needs to be protected. That is vital. Regional disbursal must be explicit and targets for productions outside of Dublin is vital. I see what Joe O'Connell has done with Ashford film studios. I have a rehab centre right beside it and it has brought so much employment to the area. Such disbursal of the budget should be clear.

The intersection of streaming demand on Ireland's creative strengths represents a once in a generation opportunity. This Bill gives a financial lever for how we can progress. How we apply it will determine whether we build short-term activity or long-term capacity. I urge colleagues in the House to support this Bill. I ask the Minister and Screen Ireland to publish a clear delivery plan and targets for the regional disbursal that I have referenced and commitments to cultural support and sustainability. If we get this right, the next decade will see more Irish stories told by more Irish voices. We will hear about more Brendan Gleesons and Colin Farrells out there. We will see more crews working steadily at home and more productions bearing an unmistakable Irish stamp of culture, from small impactful documentaries to blockbuster series featuring our talent. We have a wonderful opportunity here.