Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 1020: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to attract inward investment into a digital content centre, in view of the fact that the education system here does not offer students subjects that encourage a career in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33238/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The International Content Services Centre (ICSC), one of the proposed actions of the recently published 'Technology Actions to Support the Smart Economy' report, is intended to be a global content management facility that streamlines the storage, localisation, delivery and distribution of content, the associated rights management, clearance and collection, to provide a global service for national and international clients. The ICSC will focus on digital creative arts, including film, games and animation. Ireland has a highly educated workforce, a world-renowned legal system for the arbitration of disputes, favourable taxation policies and an internationally recognised and acclaimed brand related to creativity and innovation.

Current provisions of the Finance Act attract multinationals and high potential start-up foreign enterprises through measures such as Tax Relief on Intellectual Property and corporation tax concessions for start-up enterprises. Potential customers for the ICSC include music rights organisations, large traditional media content holders and on-line games providers/vendors. The Centre will also support the ongoing development of the 1,000 or so digital content companies currently located in Ireland. The majority of these companies are small (1-10 persons) and highly creative with high potential for growth.