Screen Ireland Launches its 2025 Production Slate, with over 80 supported projects
Posted: 22nd January 2025
New Research shows Ireland’s Creative Screen Industry Valued at €1 billion, Supporting over 15,000 FTE Jobs
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Publishes new Strategic Plan, with €5.5 million Ring-Fenced for Nationwide Development and Irish Language Production
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland has launched its 2025 Production Slate, with over 80 productions across feature film, TV drama, animation, documentary and short film. Total production spend generated by the Irish screen industry in 2024 is valued at over €430 million, representing a 33% increase on 2023 figures.
The national agency for the Irish film, television drama, animation, documentary and digital games industries will set out its new Strategic Plan 2025 – 2029, Fís Athnuaite, which has been informed by an independent Economic and Skills Analysis of the Irish Creative Screen Sector commissioned by Screen Ireland, which is also being published today.
Despite unprecedented disruptions and challenges facing the industry globally, the Irish creative screen industry continues to experience record breaking production growth, driven by sustained Government investment. The new research (averaging data from 2021 – 2023) shows that the Gross Valued Added (GVA) of the audiovisual industry in Ireland is valued at over €1 billion, across live action and animation, digital production, distribution, publishing transmission and exhibition. In terms of employment, the industry supports a total of 15,899 full-time equivalent jobs (FTE).
Screen Ireland is also announcing plans to launch a range of new initiatives and funds. This year, the agency plans to ring-fence funding of €5.5 million for nationwide development and Irish language storytelling across all genres and formats. To prioritise talent development and direct initiatives for creative talent, 2025 will see the renewal of the agency’s initiative The Voice, a concept development fund for projects led at the earliest stage by the creative vision of a director. In order to capitalise on the global opportunity for the digital games sector in Ireland, Screen Ireland will also launch a €500,000 digital games development initiative.
Chair of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Board, Ray Harman, said:
“The research we are publishing today is a comprehensive overview of the development of our sector since 2021 and underlines the valuable cultural and economic contribution that the Irish creative industry makes to the economy. Screen Ireland is proud of the role that we have played in nurturing film makers and strategically investing in industry development.
In a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive marketplace, public funding for Irish film and television is now more essential than ever. Our new strategy Fís Athnuaite outlines how, as an agency, we plan to continue to build a sustainable future for filmmaking in Ireland.”
Chief Executive of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland Désirée Finnegan said:
“At Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, we are delighted to launch our 2025 Production Slate today – with over 80 projects across feature film, documentary, animation, TV drama and short film. Irish storytelling on screen has never been more visible or more acclaimed on the world stage. This success has really highlighted the significant cultural value of seeing Irish life, heritage and our national language on screens all over the world.”
Ireland’s audiovisual industry continues to thrive, despite unprecedented global challenges
The new analysis, conducted by Alma Economics for Screen Ireland in 2024 looking at the years 2021 - 2023, demonstrates that the audiovisual sector is a key contributor to employment and economic impact in Ireland, supporting 10,450 FTE directly and 15,899 FTEs in total. The sector generates €890 million in labour compensation, with €594.8 million in direct labour compensation, demonstrating its contribution to local wages and economic activity.
While the analysis found that the sector is a key driver to economic growth nationally, it highlights the need for ongoing support for the development of the industry outside of the established regional hubs to generate a greater distribution of the economic impact of the industry around the country.
Cultural impact of Irish stories on screen
The analysis cites the audiovisual sector as a ‘strong generator of cultural value, promoting the Irish language, identity, and values through the telling of stories on screen’. Productions like The Banshees of Inisherin and Normal People have increased visitor numbers to filming locations, while films like Kneecap and An Cailín Ciúin raise interest in Irish language and heritage. The report highlights Tourism Ireland’s research from 2024, which revealed that 26% of tourists coming to Ireland indicated that film, television and travel shows were a source of travel inspiration.
Initiatives such as Screen Ireland’s NAPF, the WRAP Fund, and the Section 481 regional uplift (2019-2023), were designed to ensure this impact is felt as broadly as possible across the country.
Ahead of the announcement of the 97th Academy Awards nominations later this afternoon, Désirée Finnegan added:
“Since 2021, Irish films and talent have won over 300 international awards. Today there are several Irish films supported by Screen Ireland in contention for Academy Award nominations. It has been an incredible journey for the creative teams behind these projects, with so much achieved already. We wish them all the very best, ahead of today’s announcements.”
Notes
Screen Ireland's 2025 Production Slate can be found here.
Screen Ireland's new Strategic Plan, Fís Athnuaite, can be found here.