Film industry calls for extended tax breaks

Irish film industry representatives have called for a 10-year extension of existing tax breaks to protect the industry from decline.

A report commissioned by the Screen Producers Ireland organisation has claimed that the industry has the potential to triple in size over the next 10 years, but only if tax incentives remain in place.

Speaking at the launch of the report, film director Jim Sheridan claimed Ireland could not compete with other countries without these incentives.

He also claimed that Ireland was currently among the top six preferred locations for film production in the world.

The report itself predicted that 80% of film production in Ireland would cease in the short term without the existing tax breaks.

It said the Irish film industry had grown by 18% annually in the past decade and now directly employs 4,300 people.