Martin Conway (Fine Gael)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. As has been said, the Bill gives respect and credence to an industry that has served us very well over many decades, but very much so over the last decade. Going back 40 or 50 years, Cong in Mayo became famous through film. There are so many other fantastic examples. Down where I live in County Clare, people will know it is particularly quiet in the months of November, December, January, February and March. However, a number of years ago, three seasons of a television series "Smother", which went on to be very successful both here and abroad, were filmed there over a number of winters. Hotels that would normally be closed during those months were able to stay open and provide accommodation. We had the full cast and crew living in the area.Some of them love the area so much, they keep coming back. That is one tangible example of where the film industry has supported communities in a real way. The arts and the film industry are so important for this country. I would like to give a particular shout-out to the Courthouse Gallery and Studios in Ennistimon, County Clare, which is largely funded through voluntary contributions and by volunteers and supported by the arts office in Clare County Council. It is a space where many films have been shown over the years. It is also an art gallery. We had the State art exhibition there in 2015. We were delighted that the Tánaiste, when he was Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works, came to Ennistimon and opened the State art exhibition. That was a major boost at the time, because back in 2015 we were still in very difficult times. The one industry that did struggle and earned its stripes then was the arts industry. The opening of the State art exhibition was a huge boost not just for the Courthouse Gallery and Studios, but for the town of Ennistimon in general.

Most of those present know that north Clare is rich in traditional culture and music. I hope that we will see a lot more films made in the north Clare area. Probably the most famous was the "Father Ted" productions that took place in the general Kilfenora-Ennistimon area in the 1990s. The legacy is still going strong to this day and it is a major tourist attraction. People who come to visit our area all want to see the Father Ted house. The spin-off businesses that come are absolutely fantastic.

I am not going to keep talking because I am quite hoarse and people want to hear the Minister of State.