Recoupment Corridor Guidelines

Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland has introduced new changes to its recoupment corridor structure which are effective from 1 October 2019 onwards and shall apply to Screen Ireland funded projects contracted after 1 October 2019. The changes will enable Irish writers, Irish directors and Irish producers to share in the revenues generated by their feature film, television drama, feature documentaries and animated productions.

Under the new recoupment corridor system the Irish producer, Irish writer and Irish director of a feature film/television drama/feature documentary/animated project in which Screen Ireland has provided production funding are now entitled to share in a recoupment corridor of 60% subject to certain terms and conditions.

Recoupment Corridor Conditions

• A. This recoupment corridor shall be broken down as follows:
  • (i) 40% to Production Company,
  • (ii) 10% to Irish Director, and
  • (iii) 10% to Irish Writer.
• B. In the event that one of either the writer or director are not Irish the recoupment corridor shall be as follows:
  • (i) 45% to Production Company,
  • (ii) 10% to whichever of the writer or director are Irish.
• C. In the event that neither the writer nor director are Irish the recoupment corridor shall simply be 50% to the Production Company.
• D. In the case of Documentaries the recoupment corridor shall be as follows:
  • (i) 45% to the Production Company,
  • (ii) 10% to the Irish Director
• E. In the case of TV drama series or animated TV series where there may be more than one Irish writer or Irish director involved the recoupment corridor shall be broken down as follows:
  • (i) 40% to Production Company,
  • (ii) 10% to Irish Director(s) to be allocated pro rata based on the number of episodes directed, and
  • (iii) 10% to Irish Writer(s) to be allocated pro rata based on the number of episodes written.
• F. To avail of any funds standing to the account of the recoupment corridor each participant must complete and submit the Recoupment Corridor Application Form, a copy of which is available on request. No participant may make a claim on behalf of another participant.
• G. The recoupment corridor participant must provide Screen Ireland with all details of the proposed use of funds, which may only be spent on those activities for which Screen Ireland has been State Aid approved i.e. Project Development, Production (Features, TV Drama, Animation and Documentary), Distribution and Training in relation to a qualifying cultural product or service. Once approved payment of funds will be made on receipt of a valid invoice and tax clearance details. A budget and finance plan for the proposed activities is required by Screen Ireland, the detail of which will be determined by type and extent of the proposed activities. For example, in the development process if a writer/director is seeking to option certain material the finance plan may simply be the cost of the option fee; or where a writer/director is seeking to invest in the production of an Irish feature film the finance plan will detail the full list of the financiers of the proposed Irish feature film. The foregoing examples are for illustration purposes and are not intended to limit the proposed activities.
• H. Neither the recoupment corridor nor monies standing to its credit may be assigned or encumbered or otherwise transferred to any third party and in particular may not be offered by a corridor participant to any other financier as a recoupment source or alternative revenue entitlement. Nor may such monies be used to refinance expenditure already incurred by a corridor participant or by a corridor participant or by any person connected with the corridor participant.
• I. There must be a minimum of €1,000 standing to the applicant corridor participant’s credit in the recoupment corridor before the corridor participant is entitled to make an application to avail of funds.
• J. This recoupment corridor shall not apply to any additional funding provided by Screen Ireland nor to Screen Ireland’s share of net profits.
• K. This revised structure is effective from the 1st October 2019 onwards. Projects contracted before that date will not benefit from the revised structure.