Screen Producers Ireland Welcomes Increased Funding to the Media Sector in Budget 2022

Screen Producers Ireland (SPI) welcomes the Budget 2022 announcements made by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin today in relation to the Media sector. Screen Ireland are set to receive 32M in capital funding, a 22% increase on last year. There is an increase of €4.2M being allocated to TG4, while the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland will receive €5.5M funding as they transform into the Media Commission over the coming months.
 
Speaking after the announcement SPI CEO Susan Kirby said: “Screen Ireland’s substantial 22% increase in capital funding to €32M, on top of the significant increase of €9M the agency received in 2021, shows the confidence the Government has in the creative screen sector. During the pandemic, the sector was extremely fortunate to be able to continue to produce content, under strict COVID guidelines, and produce top-quality, world-class content which both local and global audiences watched. This increase in capital will enable more Irish independent production companies to develop and produce the type of dynamic, diverse, and award-winning content that we have come to expect in recent years. It will enable greater growth of productions across the country, and as indicated in Screen Ireland’s recent strategy an increase in Irish language and documentary content too. The Irish independent production sector has the innovation, capacity, and skills to ensure that this funding will produce content that global audiences will watch and love.
 
“The announcement of an increase in funding to TG4 will enable more Irish language production companies, principally located outside the Dublin / Wicklow hub to create not only content but also employment and economic opportunity. TG4 spends most of its revenue on Irish language productions via the independent sector. Ireland’s last two Irish productions to be considered for the International Oscar were Irish language productions, Arracht and Foscadh which shows the calibre of our Irish language producers and crew to make content worthy of such an accolade”
 
“The funding to the BAI will give them the capacity to transform into the Media Commission and take on the additional responsibility that will come with that. SPI has long argued that a key component of this transformation must be the creation of the AVMSD content levy and that the Commission need to start collecting the levy from the online media series and broadcasters without delay to support domestic productions at this time of intense international content competition.
 
“SPI thanks the Minister for Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, for the confidence she is showing in the independent production sector through her funding increases announced today. SPI looks forward to working with our industry partners as this funding is spent in the creative screen sector.
 
“SPI’s pre budget submission recommendations, which included increased funding to TG4 and Screen Ireland, were about creating the conditions for a vibrant independent production sector to enable it to deliver the highest quality, most cost effective and the widest diversity of audiovisual screen content to Irish and international audiences.”