Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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986. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the authority under which the quality of training qualifications within the film industry here are managed; the accrediting body; the number of persons working in the film industry here; the number of persons that work in projects receiving investment from the Irish Film Board; the number of persons that work in projects receiving investment emanating from section 481 tax exemption process; the number of these that are contractors; and the number that are direct employees. [28536/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Government supports the Irish audiovisual industry through the Irish Film Board and through Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 - the film tax relief scheme. This twin approach of direct funding and tax expenditure measures maximises the benefits of Government’s support to the audiovisual industry. The Irish Film Board is the national development agency for Irish film making and the Irish film, television and animation industry. Screen Training Ireland is part the Irish Film Board and is the national training and development resource specifically created for Ireland’s film and television industry. Screen Training Ireland works with national and internationally recognised industry professionals to identify, design and deliver training for Irish professionals. Training programmes are offered to enhance expertise in film, television, animation and interactive screen content.

Section 481 is an incentive to film and television production in Ireland. One of the requirements for receipt of the tax relief is the employment of trainees by the producer company. Specifically, the project must employ a minimum of two trainees for each €355,000 of corporation tax credit claimed, up to a maximum of 8 trainees.

In order to obtain the tax relief, producer companies must provide details of the training modules proposed for the trainees and the names of the trainees engaged on the project. As with all requirements under the tax relief scheme, this requirement is monitored by the Revenue Commissioners. Details of recipients of the tax relief including projects and the amounts received are published by the Revenue Commissioners at

www.revenue.ie/en/companies-and-charities/reliefs-and-exemptions/film-relief/beneficiaries-of-film-relief.aspx.

In relation to employment figures in the audiovisual industry, my Department has engaged consultants Olsberg SPI Ltd in association with Nordicity to carry out an economic analysis of our screen based creative industries. It has been some years since a comprehensive study of the sector was carried out. The study is examining, inter alia, employment in the Irish film, TV and animation sector. The commissioning of the study is committed to in the Action Plan for Jobs 2016.

A steering group led by my Department, with representatives of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Irish Film Board and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland are liaising with the consultants. I understand that the Study is nearing completion.