IMAGE: Onset on TV Series Smother, supported by WRAP Fund

On Tuesday, 26th October 2023, Minister for Finance Michael McGrath (TD) announced an increase of the eligible expenditure cap of the Irish film tax incentive, Section 481, to €125 million, subject to state aid approval. In their response to this, Screen Ireland announced plans to support new initiatives to facilitate production across the breadth of the country, including a new Creative Clusters Programme for 2024 which would support emerging screen talent and communities across the country, with a pilot scheme proposed for County Cork.   

This was followed on Wednesday by an announcement from Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin (TD), that increased funding will be allocated to Public Service Media and Screen Ireland. This increased funding will see Screen Ireland receive an additional €1.5 million.  

The Western AV Forum welcomes these announcements. Increased allocation for Screen Ireland, alongside the previously announced increased cap on Section 481 projects and Screen Ireland’s new Creative Clusters Programme, represent positive steps towards the growth and sustainability of the Irish audiovisual industry across the entire island of Ireland.

We look forward to working with Screen Ireland and our partners to ensure the benefit of the increased cap and creative clusters initiative is felt throughout the regions.

As a collective of key stakeholders for Film, Television, Games, and Animation in the West of Ireland, we applaud Screen Ireland’s commitment to increasing the geographic spread of the audiovisual sector in Ireland and their continued focus on nationwide industry growth. While disappointed that there was no replacement for the Section 481 regional uplift nor any concrete news of a dedicated Regional Fund, as recommended in the WAVF pre-budget submission, we welcome in particular Screen Ireland’s Creative Clusters Programme. This aligns closely with our pre-budget submission recommendation for the Prioritisation of Smart Regional Audiovisual Clustering.   

We look forward to participating in further engagement processes with Screen Ireland to help define the broader remits of this scheme and the Western AV Forum will continue advocate for and champion the cultural objective of developing an established and sustainable audio-visual industry in the West.  

On behalf of the 

WESTERN AV FORUM   

NÍ NEART GO CUR LE CHÉILE!  

Ardán – Fostering talent in Film, TV, Games, and Animation since 1989.  

The Western AV Forum (WAVF) – The collective of key stakeholders for Film, Television, Games, and Animation in the West of Ireland:  

9th Impact , Ardán, Abú Media, Aniar Teo, Atlantic Technological University, Clare County Council, Creative Europe Media Desk, Creative Heartlands Film, Danú Media,Donegal Film Office, EO Teilifís, Fíbín Media, Film Mayo, Fís Éireann – Screen Ireland, Galway City Council, Galway County Council, Galway Culture Company, Galway Film Fleadh, Gréasán na Meán Skillnet, Galway Roscommon ETB, Iris Productions ,Janey Pictures, Leitrim County Council, Lorg Media ,Lunar Pictures, Magamedia, Magpie 6 Media Entertainment, Moetion Films, Romero Games, Roscommon County Council, Sligo County Council, Spooky Doorway, Studio Meala,Telegael,TG4,The Bothy, Tribal City Interactive, Triggerfish Animation Studios, Tua Films, Údarás na Gaeltachta, University of Galway, Western Region Audiovisual Producers Fund (WRAP Fund).