Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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787. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to outline the key elements of his Department's strategy to attract international film, television and content creation productions to Ireland; the agencies that have responsibility for attracting such productions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11307/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is the national agency for the Irish film, television drama, animation and documentary industry. It is the creative partner to the sector, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise and is under the aegis of my Department.

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland invests in production activity in several ways, including local production activity investment, inward production support for international producers and co-productions, and the promotion of Ireland as a film location internationally.

Irish creatives and Irish production companies have achieved outstanding international success in recent years. Irish films, high-end TV drama, animation and documentaries have premiered at major international festivals, sold in territories around the world and received critical acclaim and awards recognition at the highest levels. These successes are about individual talent and the collective work of a highly skilled creative industry. It is part of a long-term strategic vision led by sustained investment in Irish filmmakers and artists over many decades.

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland adopts a dual approach to industry development, balancing local Irish creative projects and inward international production. Attracting large-scale, international projects to Ireland generates significant spend in the Irish economy, creates employment opportunities and world-class skills development alongside investment in Irish stories on screen and projects creatively led by Irish artists.

Nationwide skills development plays a crucial role across industry growth and continued production activity across the country. Screen Ireland provides a wide range of career supports at all levels – supporting first-time writers, directors and producers, as well as crew. The skills team in Screen Ireland address ongoing skills needs across the country through its in person and online courses, funding schemes and other activities.

In 2023, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland supported over 5,000 skills participants across a range of activities, both directly and through its National Talent Academy Network, and evaluated over 50 skills development plans from Section 481-supported film and television productions. The National Talent Academy network, which was established in 2022, comprises six Talent Academies based around the country, with a key focus on diversity and inclusion.

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland's Inward Production team supports international production in Ireland, promoting Ireland as a filming location for international studios and production companies. The team promotes and sells Ireland as an attractive place to base a film or high-end television production, based on Ireland’s range of locations, crew expertise and experience, high-end facilities.

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland continues to work to increase Ireland’s international profile, bringing international production activity to Ireland, and deepening US-Ireland industry relationships through the agency's LA office, re-established in 2021.

IDA Ireland, as the State agency with responsibility for promotion of Ireland as a destination of for inward investment into Ireland also works closely with Screen Ireland to promote Ireland.

My colleague the Minister for Finance is responsible for tax incentives for screen productions located in Ireland. There is a tax credit of 32% under Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act that has been extended to 2028. The "cap" was extended last year from €70m up to €125m. 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 qualifying expenditure budget of €20 million.

Section 481A provides a tax credit for the gaming industry.

Also announced in Budget 2025 was the introduction of a 20% tax incentive for unscripted productions. Ireland is one of the first countries to provide such support. This new tax relief is currently subject to approval by the European Union. This initiative aims to stimulate investment in unscripted content, positioning Ireland as a prime location for diverse audiovisual production.