Mid-West producers seek return of regional film tax incentive

Industry representatives say Ireland is missing out on the full economic benefits of film and television production without stronger incentives for projects based beyond the Dublin-Wicklow hub

Filming begins on Season 2 of TV drama The Wayfinders in Limerick. On set in Newcastle West, Co Limerick, are Paul C Ryan, Film in Limerick; Jennifer Griffin, producer; Kynan Griffin, producer; culture minister Patrick O’Donovan; Stephen Hall, producer; and Rachael Power, Film in Limerick Picture: Brian Arthur

Film producers in the Mid-West have called for the reintroduction of a regional production incentive, arguing it would help retain local talent and support the growth of the screen sector outside Dublin.

Industry representatives say Ireland cannot realise the full economic potential of film and television production unless projects can compete on a more equal footing across the country.

Between 2019 and 2023, a regional uplift under Section 481 provided an additional tax incentive for productions based outside the traditional Dublin-Wicklow production hub. Initially set at 5%, the measure was designed to encourage investment and develop new talent pools in regional locations.

According to producer Stephen Hall, a renewed regional uplift would help those in the sector to “build their career and life” in the Mid-West region.

“We've had a couple of projects that have been here while the regional uplift was in place many years ago. That really transformed the crew base in the area to actually build people up, bring them into the industry," he said. 

"But more importantly, since then, those people have stayed in the industry and continued working."

Mr Hall said many people who started in entry-level roles in the sector had since progressed to senior positions, including heads of department.

Through Dark Day Pictures, he has spent the past several years co-producing the fantasy television series The Wayfinders , parts of which were filmed in the Mid-West.

In 2018, Mr Hall walked onto a “real film set” for the first time. Since then, he has risen through the ranks and has brought his own project to Troy Studios in Limerick — a “full-circle” moment.

“We can see the echoing effects of the previous regional uplift,” he said. 

“I was able to buy a house, I was able to get a mortgage from having returnable, repeatable work like that. Now, because we've done Wayfinders a number of times, we're seeing people in that same kind of position where they're actually buying houses and they're able to get mortgages from having that continuity work”.

According to the producer, the incentive is not solely about having productions shot in the Mid-West, but about empowering local creatives from the area to “anchor themselves” and build a career in the region.

Elaine Geraghty, managing director at Troy Studios and Ardmore Studios, said it could be challenging to present a region as a production hub.

“You nearly have to have everything from the get-go,” she said. 

“If you're a production coming in and you want to base yourself, for example, in Limerick, you need to be able to make it work for the budget, because ultimately, it's all about budgets”.

Ms Geraghty said the regional production uplift previously introduced by the government had proven effective before it was phased out over a number of years.

“People were interested, and they were willing to try. But when it's gone, we don't have this continuity of service, we don't have that momentum," she said.

“There’s plenty going on in the production world, and Ireland can really, really be competitive. But we're more than Wicklow and Dublin."

“In Ardmore, I hear lots of accents that aren't from the local area, and they're definitely from people coming up from the Mid-West that if I gave them a choice or if we could help give them a choice, this is where they'd want to be and stay,” she said.

The OC star Adam Brody is due to film wartime drama A Night at Claridge's in Limerick this autumn, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Whit Stillman.

It will be produced by Nathalie Lichtenthaeler of Wide Eye Films, whose recent production

Once Upon a Time in a Cinemawas also filmed in Limerick and released earlier this year. About 70% of the film crew on that project were hired locally.

“I have nothing against Dublin, but it is a real joy to shoot here. People are very, very open to film productions, whereas I'd say probably in comparison in the Dublin and Wicklow region, they're a little bit more used to productions and probably a little bit more tired of it,” Ms Lichtenthaeler said.

“It really is important to continue the growth that has happened here in this region, building up talent and building up crew. Because if we just train the people and then there's no productions here, what happens then is they just vanish, pack up and leave, and they go to Dublin".