Overview
All applications to the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport (“the Department”) for a Section 487A Certificate must include a TAB F Skills Development Plan. For all projects with eligible expenditure in excess of €1.5 million, a copy of the TAB F Skills Development Plan should also be submitted to Screen Ireland for approval.
The process for submitting to Screen Ireland is as follows:
A Provisional TAB F Skills Development Plan should be submitted to Screen Ireland for conditional approval at least 21 working days in advance of the commencement of Irish production or on the same date as the application for certification under ‘Guidance Note of Section 487A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (hereafter referred to as “Section 487A”) and the Unscripted Production Regulations 2025. (S.I. No. 671/2025) made by the Revenue Commissioners, with the consent of the Ministers for Finance and for Culture, Communications and Sport on 23rd December 2025.
A Final TAB F Skills Development Plan should be submitted to Screen Ireland for final approval after the commencement of Irish production. The submission must also include a Tab E Person Days Schedule and individual learning plans for each named skills participant for the duration of the production. The timeline for submission of the Final TAB F Skills Development Plan is as follows: 1 day after the commencement of Irish production.
Screen Ireland will review the TAB F Skills Development Plan and may seek changes, especially in relation to specific skills deficits and priority roles that have been identified in sectoral skills reports (including Screen Ireland skills reports).
The applicant must be the Producer Company.
Once the Provisional TAB F Skills Development Plan is approved, Screen Ireland will issue a Provisional Letter of Approval which must then be submitted to the Department to allow the Department to finalise its assessment of the application.
The Producer Company will be required to furnish a full Skills Development Compliance report (to include tracking materials for each skills participant) and the final version of the TAB Z table to Screen Ireland in order to receive a final compliance confirmation letter from Screen Ireland.
If this is your first application, it is advisable to make an appointment to meet the dedicated 487A Team (consisting of the Skills Development Executive for Section 481/487A and Work-based Learning and the Skills Development Coordinator for Section 481 and Work-based Learning) to discuss the TAB F Skills Plan for your production in advance of completing an application.
For any queries, please contact section487a@screenireland.ie to request a meeting.
See below for links to download the Provisional TAB F Skills Development Plan Application Form; the Final TAB F Skills Development Plan Application Form; the Guiding Principles support document; and the Skills Development Compliance Report.
Downloads
- Guiding Principles for Skills Development Plans - Section 487A
- Quality Assurance Compliance Report - Section 487A
- TAB F Skills Development Plan Application Form - Section 487A
Contacts
Emer MacAvin - emer.macavin@screenireland.ie
Skills Development Executive - Section 481 & Work-based Learning
Patrick Scahill - patrick.scahill@screenireland.ie
Skills Development Coordinator - Section 481 & Work-based Learning