Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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347. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the lack of strategy around regional screen production since the lapse of the s.481 regional uplift; if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025 to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36120/24]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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348. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to address the ongoing lack of dedicated support for regional film and television production in Ireland; her plans to address the lack of strategy around regional screen production since the lapse of the section 481 regional film development uplift; if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025 to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36122/24]

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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350. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the lack of strategy around regional screen production since the lapse of the s.481 regional uplift; if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025 to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36124/24]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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351. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the lack of strategy around regional screen production since the lapse of the s.481 regional uplift; if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025 to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36128/24]

Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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354. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht whether it is intended to put an alternative strategy in place to encourage regional screen production with the lapse of the section 481 regional uplift; if such a regional strategy will be funded in the estimate for her Department for 2025 to ensure balanced regional development in this sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36171/24]

Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent)
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355. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the lack of strategy in relation to regional screen production since the lapse of the s.481 regional uplift; and if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025, to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions. [36189/24]

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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359. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the lack of strategy around regional screen production since the lapse of the s.481 regional uplift; and if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025 to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions. [36411/24]

Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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361. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the lack of strategy around regional screen production since the lapse of the s.481 regional uplift; if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025 to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36679/24]

Noel Grealish (Galway West, Independent)
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364. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will address the lack of strategy around regional screen production since the lapse of the s.481 regional uplift; if she will support a dedicated regional strategy as part of Budget 2025 to specifically address the development of the sector in the regions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36878/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 347, 348, 350, 351, 354, 355, 359, 361 and 364 together.

I have received a number of 2025 Budget submissions from various industry stakeholders and consideration will be given to these submissions in the context of the ongoing Budget preparations.

The principal Government supports for the audiovisual sector include the Section 481 tax relief and funding for the operation of Screen Ireland, now at record levels. Decisions on tax reliefs, including Section 481, are a matter for my colleague the Minister for Finance.

Developing a thriving audiovisual sector requires a fine balance between domestic and international production. Screen Ireland is the development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry and it adopts a dual approach to sectoral development to provide strong funding levels for local independent Irish filmmaking and TV drama production, while also attracting large-scale, international productions to the country. Screen Ireland recognises the importance of continuing to support existing production hubs, while encouraging the development of emerging hubs so that new opportunities for local and international production can take place across Ireland, bringing the cultural and economic benefits to the entire country.

In 2023, Screen Ireland invested over €5 million in projects, initiatives and activities that contributed to nationwide development of the sector. As the Regional Uplift tapered, Screen Ireland ring-fenced up to €3.5m in its 2023 expenditure for nationwide activity, which included the establishment of a Nationwide Additional Production Fund as well as funding a wide range of sectoral stakeholders and events across the regions. This includes organisations with both a national remit, and those with a regional focus. The Screen Stakeholders Scheme offers programmatic funding for a broad range of learning and development courses, programmes and initiatives.

In Gaeltacht areas, Screen Ireland, TG4 and Údarás na Gaeltachta work closely in partnership with Irish language production companies nationwide to continue to foster Irish language film and TV production. Irish language film is in a new era, thanks to the success of films like An Cailín Ciúin. Further implementation of the coordinated strategy to grow the Irish screen industry nationwide, both economically and culturally, will involve all stakeholders continuing to work in partnership.