Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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596. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the steps she is taking to support education and upskilling to facilitate persons entering the animation sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46558/17]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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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 of 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.

The Irish Film Board (IFB) and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) commissioned a National Strategy for Training and Education for the Audio-visual Industry which was recently published .

In partnership with the Departments of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Business, Enterprise and Innovation, my Department commissioned an economic analysis of our screen based creative. 

The recommendations of both studies are providing inputs for the development of an industry-wide long term plan for Ireland as a global hub for the production of Film, TV Drama and Animation under Pillar 4 of the Creative Ireland Programme, including the issues around training.