Smaointe - Irish Language Slate Development Fund

Background

As the national agency for the Irish film, television drama, animation and documentary industry, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland is the creative partner to the sector, investing in talent, creativity and enterprise. 

In 2021 we launched the Creative Futures Fund which was a new way of supporting development by supporting the creative capabilities within companies and building that support system that is the creative engine room.  We then supported this further by also evolving specific slate development funding as part of this fund.

In 2025, we will continue further slate funding, Smaointe, open to audio-visual companies who are developing a slate of narrative Irish language projects across film, TV, animation and documentary and who are looking to expand and build on their creative ambitions, develop talent and target a diverse and expanding creative slate. 

Who Can Apply

Irish Production Companies (production companies registered in the Republic of Ireland which have an active office and staff based in the Republic of Ireland)working in the areas of Feature Film (Live Action and Animation), Multi-Episodic Series (Animation and / or TV Drama) and Documentary, that have, at the date of application, been established for a minimum of two years, and with a proven history of developing and producing content in the Irish language.  

Slates may be a mix of genre and / or format, solely or collectively made up of any of the above. We recognise that many companies work across a mix of formats and there will be flexibility within the funding awards. Companies applying for slate funding in documentary may also apply for series development as well as single features. Projects must have been originated in and be wholly in the Irish language.  

Applicants must have produced at least one Irish language feature film, series or documentary as lead producer. 

About the Fund

Developing a slate involves strong creative instincts and capabilities as well as the management of talent and timelines. Smaointe is about building strong culturally relevant Irish language IP that reaches Irish and international audiences.

The total fund is €1,000,000. Smaointe funding is provided in the form of a loan which will recoup from projects that go into production. 

The minimum contribution per slate will be €50,000 with a maximum of €125,000 for scripting and artistic development.  There will be a range of funding awards which will be determined with reference to format and selection criteria below. All submissions are unlikely to reach maximum levels of awards.

The loan is inclusive of up to 25% in producer’s fees and overhead in the budgeted development for each project.

Smaointe Slate Development Plan / Application Detail

The slate plan and application includes the following asks:

• The company's Creative Vision, Background & Ambition and a Statement of Suitability.
• Initial Slate Development Plan and Project Detail
• Talent Development Strategy incl. Diversity and Inclusion
• Markets and Audience which the company intends to produce for.
• Creative Partnerships – in the case of small companies we encourage collaboration, resources sharing, joint ventures and consolidation.
• Creative and Business team to support this vision including track records.
• Detailed Development Budgets and Other Funding sources detail.
• Your most recent set of annual accounts.

Note: The Fund can only support additional activity. All proposed investment should be additional, with no crossover funding. Other state agency funding should be clearly highlighted and a demarcation of investment highlighted along with clear targets with new development investment being requested.

Funding and the Smaointe fund overall is subject to state aid guidelines and funding awards may be adjusted to ensure compliance with state aid rules requirements. 

Criteria for Assessment

1. Clarity of Vision in relation to Slate Plan, aligning to a realistic, yet ambitious growth trajectory, clear track record and strong objectives and creative opportunity (30)
2. Talent Development Strategy - Proposed creative team and investment structure that enhances and enables acceleration in creative ability and expertise (30)
3. Strength of the overall proposal, slate development plan and projects - Understanding the key challenges and opportunities within the market (30)
4. Key Stakeholder and Creative Partnership targets of benefit to the sector (10)

Slate Overview and Process

Production Companies in receipt of Slate funding will not be eligible to apply for single-project development funding for Irish language projects. They will remain eligible to apply for single-project development funding for English language projects. The life cycle of the scheme will be 12 months from the date of the Screen Ireland slate funding agreement, or until all sums are expended (whichever is the earlier, but not shorter than 9 months), production companies will then be eligible for single project development funding for Irish language projects. In the event that all sums are not expended by a production company within 12 months the term shall continue until such time as all slate funds are expended by the production company. Expended in this context means spent or irrevocably committed.

Production Companies may apply with projects that are currently on their slate and / or new projects once the development work is additional. New projects must be notified to Screen Ireland in advance, in accordance with the template New Project Notice, a copy of which will be provided by Screen Ireland. Creative autonomy will remain with the production company in the development of their slate.

Eligible Costs and Budget

The Company should submit a budget setting out the full creative / development costs of the projects on their slate. This should include the existing costs and the proposed additional costs under the Creative Future plan. This should clearly show any Production Company contribution and the proposed request for funding. Screen Ireland can fund up to 100% of the creative development costs.

Eligible expenditure on slate development should include rights acquisitions, Writers fees, Director’s fees, research, script editors and late-stage development which may include packaging. A dedicated bank account will need to be set up that will receive the Screen Ireland funding and incur the slate expenditure. Each project budget should include an allocation of up to 25% which may be paid towards producer fees and overheads. Any amount of slate development funding above €75,000 applied to an individual project on the slate must be matched by third party funding from other sources. Script Editors who are part of the employment of the production company can be charged at a reasonable industry level. Production Companies should use the standard Screen Ireland development budget template.

Recoupment

Slate amounts will be recouped in the normal course of development if the project goes into production. That amount will form part of the production budget and will be repaid on the first day of principal photography or financial closing, whichever is the later.

This includes projects that Screen Ireland may / or may not be involved in and applies from the date of signature of long-form contract between Screen Ireland and the Production Company.

Reporting and Cut-Off

For each production company in receipt of funding Screen Ireland will conduct a review to occur 6 months from the date of the slate funding agreement. In the event that the production company is deemed by Screen Ireland to be in breach or default of the terms and conditions of the slate funding agreement this 6-month review will also act as a break clause, if deemed necessary by Screen Ireland. A final review will be carried out after 12 months or when the final sums are expended and before the company is approved to re-engage with single project funding. At the end of the term each production company will be required to furnish a final slate cost report which will set out the expenditure on each project and a summary of the overall slate. The final signed off budgeted expenditure per project will then become the budgeted development line item if the project goes into production.

Contracting and Cashflow

Successful Production Companies will be required to enter a funding contract with Screen Ireland and 75% will be available on signature – another 10% will be available after the 6-month review and 15% on approval of final reporting documentation.

Application Process

Applications can be made online using the 'Make an Application' button on this page. Screen Ireland aim to process a decision within thirty working days of the deadline for applications.

The deadline for receipt of applications is Thursday 31st July, 2025.

Consideration for support will only be processed on receipt of a completed application form.

Decisions will be administered by a panel of both internal and external assessors.

Other Considerations – Subject to Contract

• Funding is open to companies registered in the Republic of Ireland which have an active office and staff based in the Republic of Ireland and, at the date of application, have been established for a minimum term of 2 years.
• Companies should be actively developing an Irish language Film, TV Drama, Documentary and/or Animation slate, and have a proven history of producing content in the Irish language.
• Slate projects should have been originated in and be wholly in the Irish language.
• All proposed investment should be additional, with no crossover funding. Other state agency funding should be clearly highlighted and a demarcation of investment highlighted along with clear targets with new development investment being requested.
• In addition and for clarity, applications in respect of retrospective costs or activities will not be accepted.
• Match-funding is accepted once there is a clear demarcation in terms of the specific additional spends.
• All documentation and publicity related to this initiative and investment funded by Screen Ireland must credit Screen Ireland in a form to be set out in the long-form loan agreement.
• Any effort to influence a panel member will immediately disqualify.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered and will be returned to the applicant. Incorrect information may lead to delays in processing of applications.
• Screen Ireland reserves the right to suspend and/or cancel the funding where, in its view, a successful submission is not meeting the required commitment as set out in the contract.

For more information on the scheme please contact smaointe@screenireland.ie