Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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224. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she plans to visit the west coast of the US before the end of 2024 to meet senior officials from major film companies to encourage them to shoot more major films in Ireland in 2025. [40135/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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While I have no plans at present to visit the west coast of the US before the end of 2024, I was pleased to lead a trade mission to Los Angeles and San Diego to promote the Irish screen industry last year, together with Screen Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the I.D.A., and the Department of Foreign Affairs. This trade mission was part of the Government’s St Patrick’s Day programme with the aim to build on the success for the Irish screen industry and the recognition of Irish talent on the world’s stage. I also met with industry stakeholders on a previous trade mission to the United States in 2022. My visits were just one element of intense Government engagement with the film industry in the US.

Screen Ireland is the national development agency for Irish filmmaking and the Irish film, television and animation industry, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. Screen Ireland has an Industry Building Programme Manager based in Los Angeles at present to promote Ireland, Irish companies and Irish talent to the LA based film and television industry. The major film production companies are based on the West Coast of the United States and this is therefore a major focus for Screen Ireland.

Screen Ireland continues to promote the extension of the Section 481 Film Tax Relief to 2028 and the increase of the cap from €70m up to €125m. The Minister for Finance, his senior officials and Screen Ireland met with industry stakeholders in Los Angeles in January this year and received positive feedback on the increase in the Section 481 cap.

In September 2024, a delegation, including Minister For Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke (T.D.), Screen Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and the IDA, partnered on a trade mission to Los Angeles. The purpose of the trade mission was to promote Ireland’s fast-growing visual effects (VFX) and post-production sector to Los Angeles-based studios, streaming, and production companies.

The Irish screen sector is a growing one and Ireland’s offerings present significant opportunities to the major US and international studios. In Budget 2025, an 8% Uplift has been introduced to section 481, to address the significant challenges faced by smaller feature film projects. This uplift is subject to State Aid approval and will apply to feature film productions with a maximum global budget of €20 million.

Also announced in Budget 2025 was the introduction of a 20% tax incentive for unscripted production, which offers further opportunities for growth across the Irish screen industry.

The Audiovisual Action Plan sets out the Government's high-level, strategic priorities to develop a vibrant media production and audiovisual sector bringing new economic opportunities across Ireland, through increased Government support. Building relationships with major US studios and producers is a critical component of that endeavour and trade missions provide an excellent opportunity for such direct communication.