Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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696. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which her Department continues to support and encourage the film industry including the use of the island of Ireland as a film location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3472/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, 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.  Its statutory remit is to assist and encourage the making of film in the State and the development of a film industry in Ireland.  In Budget 2018, I allocated an increase of €1.55 million to the Irish Film Board to build on its vital work in supporting Irish film, television drama, documentary and animation. This increases its annual budget by 9.3% to €18 million, 29% more than it was in 2014.

The Film Board supports writers, directors and production companies across these sectors by providing investment loans for the development, production and distribution of film, television and animation projects.

The Film Board also supports the Irish screen industries at major international markets and festivals, promotes inward investment, the use of Ireland as a location for international production and provides support for companies filming in Ireland. The Board liaises with IDA Ireland and Tourism Ireland to maximise opportunities for the promotion of Ireland as a location for film productions as well as a tourism destination. Information on its funding scheme is available on the Irish Film Board website at www.irishfilmboard.ie.

The other primary mechanism through which the Government supports the film industry is Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 - the film tax relief scheme. My Department’s investment in the film sector will also help to maximise the benefits brought about by the Government’s enhancement of the Section 481 film tax credit system, including the decision to increase the cap for eligible expenditure on film projects to €70 million, as announced as part of Budget 2016.

The twin approach of direct funding and tax expenditure measures maximises the benefits of the Government’s support to the audiovisual industry.

Of relevance also is the economic analysis of our screen based creative industries which my Department has commissioned in partnership with the Departments of Communications, Climate Action and Environment and Business, Enterprise and Innovation.  This Report will provide an input 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.