01/07/2003

The Screen Producers’ Guild of Ireland (SPI) published a report outlining the reasons why Ireland’s minister of finance, Charlie McCreevy, would do well to maintain Section 481 which is scheduled to run out at the end of this year. Section 481 is the Irish film industry’s most important tax incentive and the reason why so many international and Hollywood productions choose the Emerald Isle.
Irish film director Jim Sheridan said that if Section 481 were renewed for another decade, it would bring employement for 11,000 Irish professionals and that Section 481 is fundamental to the survival of the national film industry.
In an interview that was broadcast live on pubcaster , RTE’s Morning Ireland radio programme, the SPI’s Andrew Lowe presented his organisation’s case.
"The minister is on record as saying that he supports properly designated tax relief, our argument is that the fact of section 481 is that unlike many of the other tax breaks that are due to expire at the end of next year, we don’t have short term infrastructure problems. Rather tax incentives are a feature of film production in all developed countries around the world and all our European partners have tax incentives that are significantly more attractive than the Irish ones. Australia and Canada in particular have been very successful in attracting Hollywood movies on the back of tax incentives.
“The value of the industry extends beyond purely economic contribution. There are for example quantifiable benefits to tourism from film. 8 per cent of all international tourists to Ireland cited film as a factor for visiting here. Film and TV which is a global audience and its very effective in influencing our national identity internationally We are one of six favourite locations for Hollywood productions. And finally film is also recognised as a key enabler for the development of the indigenous digital media industry.
Listen to the interview.