Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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247. 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 Ireland as a film location; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10404/18]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The Irish Film Board is the national development agency for the Irish film, TV Drama and the animation industry.  Its statutory remit is to assist and encourage the making of film in the State and the development of the industry in Ireland.  In 2018, I allocated an increase of €1.55 million to the Irish Film Board increasing its annual budget by 9.3% to €18 million, 29% more than it was in 2014.

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. Information on its funding scheme is available on the Irish Film Board website at www.irishfilmboard.ie.

The Government also supports the film industry through the film tax relief scheme -   Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997.  The twin approach of direct funding and tax expenditure measures maximises the benefits of the Government’s support to the audiovisual industry.

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 industries.  This Report which is now complete, 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.