COVID-19 Key Production and Support Information (Updated)
Posted: 15th April 2020
Last Updated January 5th 2021
As the national development agency for the creative screen industry, Fís Eireann/Screen Ireland has been working to support the film, television, and animation sector throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.. Our team is working closely with the Department of Culture to help employers and employees navigate the challenges associated with getting back into production.
1. Projects due to go into Production
The Government has introduced a five-stage framework for restrictive measures around living with COVID-19. Currently, the entire country now at Level 5 of the Framework.
Under Government Regulations, the audio-visual sector can operate at Level 5. Information on essential services is available here.
Physical attendance at workplaces is only permitted for those providing essential services on the list and where such services can only be provided in person and not done remotely.
Strict Return to Production Guidelines for the creative screen content industry have been published, to support productions with regard to the challenges specific to the creative screen industry.
For Employers/Producers:
-
Film and television production sets are a place of work and the Irish Government has published a Return to Work Safely Protocol, designed to support employers and workers to put measures in place that will prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace. The Protocol should be used by all workplaces to adapt their workplace procedures and practices to comply fully with the COVID-19 related public health protection measures identified as necessary by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
- The Health and Safety Authority has produced checklists and templates to help employers, and managers get their business up and running again, and to inform workers about what they need to do to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace.
- Screen Producers Ireland, working closely with industry stakeholders and with funding from Screen Ireland, have published Return to Production Guidelines for the creative screen content industry, to support productions as they return to work with regard to the challenges specific to the creative screen industry. The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has confirmed that these guidelines adhere to Government COVID-19 health and safety best practice guidelines.
- Whilst each production will be required to develop specific ways of working based on their individual risk assessments, this guidance document helps to translate the government protocols and public health guidance into a practical approach tailored to screen content production.
For Employees/Crew:
-
Before returning to work, employees must follow the health and safety guidelines as published by the HSÉ.
-
Screen Skills Ireland, the skills development unit within Screen Ireland, is providing free online training courses based on the guidelines to support a safe return to production focusing on relevant COVID-19 Guidelines.
-
The role of the Health and Safety Authority is to ensure compliance with the Return to Work Safely Protocol. If an employee feels the workplace is not in compliance with this protocol, which includes social distancing guidelines, they can raise their concerns with the HSA and they will address the concerns with their employer. You should raise your concern with your employer first to give them the opportunity to address the issue.
-
When a worker is told to self-isolate by a doctor or the HSE or has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) by a doctor, they can apply for an enhanced Illness Benefit payment. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/eca524-covid-19-information-for-employees/
Travelling to Ireland for Work:
If you are travelling into Ireland, it is advised that you follow HSE public health guidelines with regard to what to do when arriving in Ireland, which can be viewed here:
2. Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Operations
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland staff in both the Dublin and Galway offices will work remotely for the immediate future. With a business continuity plan in place, the agency expects day-to-day operations to continue as normal wherever possible.
All normal procedures continue to apply in respect of payment of invoices. Normal documentation, as set out in your funding contract, should be provided to facilitate any payments which will be processed on a weekly basis as normal. Payments and invoices outside of production and development funding will also be processed as normal.
3. COVID-19 Related Production Supports Available
Screen Ireland has intrduced a wide number of COVID supports, all of which can be viewed in the funding section of our website. Specific funding available for production activity include:
COVID-19 Production Fund
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland’s COVID-19 Production Fund is intended to support industry recovery by partially offsetting additional production costs associated with implementing the new safety guidelines. Screen Ireland-funded productions will use these guidelines to develop their own individual protocols and production-specific risk assessments.
Performance and Production Support Package
A new €5 million pilot Performance and Production Support Package has been announced dedicated to the audio-visual sector, which will help de-risk costs and enable independent Irish production activity to return. This is a crucial and timely support aimed at creating confidence in enabling film and television projects to get back into production. More details on this fund will be made available shortly.
4. Government Financial Supports
The Government has announced a number of measures to provide financial support to employers and employees affected by the COVID-19 crisis.
a. COVID-19 PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT PAYMENT
The COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to employees and the self-employed who have lost their job on or after 13 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was announced in July that new applications would be accepted until 17 September 2020. This has been extended and new applications will now be accepted until the end of 2020. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/eca524-covid-19-information-for-employees/
b. ENHANCED ILLNESS BENEFIT PAYMENT FOR COVID-19 ABSENCES
When a worker is told to self-isolate by a doctor or the HSE or has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) by a doctor, they can apply for an enhanced Illness Benefit payment. Further information can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/eca524-covid-19-information-for-employees/
c. EMPLOYEE WAGE SUBSIDY SCHEME
Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme was replaced by the Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme from 1st September 2020. For more information ont his scheme visit https://revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/covid19/employment-wage-subsidy-scheme.aspx
Revenue have also issued updated guidance on the scheme in the form of FAQs here.
d. SHORT-TIME WORK SUPPORT
Workers who are put on short-time working by their employer due to a reduction in business activity related to COVID-19 may apply for a Short Time Work Support payment – further information on this payment is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/c20e1b-short-time-work-support/
e. DEASP have also issued guidance for workers who are laid off temporarily, without pay, due to a reduction in business activity. These workers can apply for a Jobseeker payment. The application for this can be made online at www.mywelfare.ie.
f. The above information should be read in conjunction with the individual scheme information available at http://www.gov.ie/deaspcovid19. This information may be updated, and any updates will be published on the dedicated website at http://www.gov.ie/deaspcovid19.
g. The above is for information purposes only and Screen Ireland makes no guarantees or assertions as to an individual’s or company’s entitlement to claim or qualify for any benefit or relief.
5. General Information
-
The government has agreed with local authorities that they should agree to defer rates payments due from the most immediately impacted businesses - primarily in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors, for three months, until end-May. This measure will be implemented by each local authority in its own area.
-
Information concerning employment rights is available at the Workplace Relations Commission website www.workplacerelations.ie.
- Employment Permits System Contingency Arrangements. The Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation has implemented a contingency plan to ensure that the Employment Permits system will continue to operate in all scenarios for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis. Temporary arrangements will allow for an electronic version (PDF) of an employment permit to issue by email the employer/employee/agents as proof of an employment permit having granted for the named employee. The electronic version of the employment permit will be accompanied by a letter from the Department both of which should be presented to immigration officials for verification purposes. Further information can be found at the following link: https://dbei.gov.ie/en/Publications/Publication-files/COVID-19-Employment-Permits-System-Contingency-Arrangements.pdf
6. Third Party Organisations
-
Creative Europe “are applying the maximum flexibility we can in the implementation of the programme, within the limits of the applicable legal framework” https://ec.europa.eu/programmes/creative-europe/content/corona-virus-consequences-creative-europe-programme-and-related-activities_en
-
EU COMMISSION are taking measures to counter the economic impact of COVID-19: "EU State aid rules enable Member States to help companies cope with liquidity shortages and needing urgent rescue aid. Article 107(2)(b) TFEU enables Member States to compensate companies for the damage directly caused by exceptional occurrences, including measures in sectors such as aviation and tourism" https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_459