Ireland

[IE] Film Industry

IRIS 2001-2:1/23

Marie McGonagle

School of Law, National University of Ireland, Galway

In December 2000, the Audiovisual Federation of IBEC (the Irish Employers' organisation) published its annual report for 1999. It concluded that the Irish film industry is in the doldrums and losing competitiveness against the British industry. Key recommendations of the 1999 Report on the Strategic Development of the Irish Film and Television Industry 2000-2010 (see IRIS 1999-8: 12), it said, had not yet been implemented. There was a significant increase in Irish expenditure on feature films and major television dramas but a fall in expenditure on independent television productions. A decrease in direct employment in the industry resulted. Problems with tax relief, costs and incentives for investment were identified.

During the year 2000, however, a number of developments occurred. Firstly, the European Convention on Cinematographic Co-production was ratified on 2 August 2000. Secondly, increases in the amount of revenue that may be raised by producers under the tax scheme (Section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 - see IRIS 1999-8: 12 and IRIS 2000-2: 8) were announced, following approval of the scheme by the European Commission under the State aid rules. Thirdly, new legislation, the Irish Film Board (Amendment) Act 2000, was passed. It increases from IEP 30 million to IEP 80 million the budget of the Irish Film Board. That is the amount that the Film Board may give to film production companies by way of loans and grants. This implements one of the key recommendations of the Film Industry Strategic Review Group (see above and IRIS 1999-8: 12).

Meanwhile, the film Ulysses, directed by Joseph Strick, has finally been passed by the Irish censor, thirty-three years after it was first refused a certificate for public showing by the Film Censor and the Films Appeal Board in 1967. It has now been passed without cuts and with an "Over 15" age classification (see IRIS 2000-2: 8).