‘Screen Ireland’ is an aspiration without funding – for now

A year ago, the then minister for arts, heritage and the Gaeltacht, Heather Humphreys, announced she would put legislation in place to change the name of the Irish Film Board to Screen Ireland.

It sounds like a sensible idea, one that acknowledges that the board’s remit already includes development funds for television animation and television drama. Humphreys, now Minister for Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht*, said she wanted “the agency tasked with expanding the sector further to have a name that easily communicates its responsibilities”.

But the Irish Film Board’s new five-year strategy makes clear that “Screen Ireland” won’t be appearing on any opening credits until the Government ups its funding for the audiovisual sector.

To live up to the proposed name, the board would ideally be capable of supporting “the creative storytelling elements” of computer games and interactive content.

It would also be much more involved in the television sector than it can afford to be at present – in 2015, it did not fund any television drama projects.

The board makes the compelling argument that it cannot capitalise on the Irish film industry’s recent success, much less become Screen Ireland, unless Humphreys can persuade her Government colleagues to agree to a restoration in its funding to pre-recession levels.

This would necessitate a capital budget of €20 million as opposed to the current €11.2 million (with separate administrative funds of €3.3 million).

"We have aspirations to become Screen Ireland," said chairwoman designate Annie Doona. "This strategy contains what we would like to do to become Screen Ireland. But we can't deliver on broadening our remit without additional resources and funding."

Dr Doona said there had been “mixed responses” from the industry to the suggestion that its remit should include computer games. The board, however, sees an opportunity for itself to play a role in developing the sector and sees an opportunity for the Irish economy, too. Very reasonably, it is not keen to go down this path with only platitudes in its bank account. It wants the €20 million too.

*Since this piece was written, the Department has now re-revised its name to the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, or Dahrrga.