Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

145. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which she and her Department continue to encourage all forms of the arts, including the stage and film industry, local voluntary groups and those interested in the promotion of the arts at amateur level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47843/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

151. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures she continues to take to encourage the growth and further development of the film industry, indigenous and international, here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47851/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

152. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which this country remains an attractive base for film locations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47852/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 145, 151 and 152 together.

My Department's priorities are set out in its published Statement of Strategy 2021—2023. The overarching goal is to ensure the “sectors recover and grow in a manner that underpins social cohesion and supports strong, sustainable economic growth, with a focus on a number of cross cutting goals of equality, diversity, social inclusion, the Irish language and environmental sustainability”. The Strategy sets out the actions that my Department will take over the coming period, both nationally and regionally, to enrich the quality of life in Ireland through supporting the development of tourism, culture, arts, sports, media and Irish language. In addition to their immense inherent value, these are valued by all of our communities as important resources for social cohesion, individual and community wellbeing and for the presentation of Ireland as an attractive destination for tourism and sustainable inward investment.

I was pleased to be able to announce continued record funding of €130m for the Arts Council for 2023 as well as significant support for the Night-Time Economy, Culture Ireland and Creative Ireland.

The Audio-visual Action Plan was launched in June 2018. This is an industry-wide, long-term plan, under the Creative Ireland Programme, developed to support the Government’s ambition to enable Ireland to become a global hub for the production of film, TV drama and animation.

The tax incentive for the Screen industries, Section 481, has been a cornerstone of the Irish screen industry in the creative and cultural value it has generated, both in terms of discovering and supporting new Irish voices, as well as showcasing Ireland’s power as an international partner, a cultural force across film, television and animation, not to mention a breath-taking location offering historic and natural beauty making it an attractive base for film locations.

Screen Ireland is the national development agency for Irish filmmaking and the Irish film, television and animation industry, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. The agency 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.

Screen Ireland is doing great work in regional locations. Since April 2019, over 45 regional skills development plans have been submitted to Screen Ireland and over 500 regional skills development participants have been tracked on those productions. This has led to the development of a significant skills ecosystem in the regions. On the back of new skills opportunities on Section 481 productions in the regions, many regional Higher Education and Further Education and Training providers have developed new courses aimed at the screen industry including new Springboard and Traineeship programmes at institutions like Technological University of the Shannon, Atlantic Technological University, Limerick/Clare ETB and Kilkenny/Carlow ETB.

To build on this growth within the regions, Screen Ireland announced an investment of over €2,000,000 towards the establishment of five new National Talent Academies across Ireland in Wicklow, Limerick, Galway and Dublin for film and TV drama, animation and production crew. These Talent Academies will build on the success of the Section 481 skills model to develop and drive opportunities for diverse and regional talent on a national level. This along with the allocation of an additional €1m for Screen Ireland in 2023 will encourage the growth of and further development of the film industry, both indigenous and international.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

146. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the extent to which opportunities continue to exist for philanthropists to engage in and support the arts nationally and locally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47844/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Arts Council, which is funded by my Department, is the body responsible for delivering primary support for the arts in Ireland.  The Arts Council supports and develops the arts in Ireland through grant funding, project awards, support to individual artists, and support to venues, publications and resource organisations.  The Council is independent in its funding decisions under the Arts Act 2003. 

The Arts Council operates the RAISE programme, which seeks to enhance fund-raising skills in arts organisations with a view to diversifying the sector's sources of funding.  It is designed to assist the sector in securing philanthropic contributions to the arts in Ireland.  Many arts organisations have benefited from and continue to benefit as a result of the RAISE initiative. 

Funding for the Arts Council was increased to €130 million in 2021,  again in 2022 and I am now delighted to state that I have secured this level again for 2023.  

Private support for the arts is an important funding source and the Government continues to support this through tax incentives and other initiatives.   The Programme for a Partnership Government contains a commitment to encourage strong, mutually beneficial links between the business community and the arts community to assist arts organisations to capitalise on sponsorship opportunities and to develop business partnerships and fundraising skills.  I also recognise the important work carried out by Business to Arts, which my Department also supports.