Budget cuts at Irish Film Board
by Annika Pham
Because of the difficult economic climate and reductions in public spending, the Irish government has recommended in its pre-budget to cut the Irish Film Board (IFB)’s 2003 fund by almost 12,5 per cent according to ‘Screen Daily’.
Although the Board lobbied to renew its current budget of 12.2million euros, its 2003 annual funds will amount to 10.7million euros, with 1.5millions euros allocated to administration costs (against 1.6millions euros this year) and 9.1millions euros to capital and training (10.6millions euros in 2002).
The Irish Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O’Donoghue said that this cut “must be seen against a background in which the IFB’s funding more than doubled over the past five-year period 1997-2002”.
The IFB’s CEO Rod Stoneman for his part, said that these new figures announced by the government are “tough”, but he remained rather optimistic: “we indeed are committed to the delivery of our planned programmes within these parameters-they will be workable” he said.
Budget day for the Irish government is December 4.
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