- Variety
from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Chair Ray Harman
I am delighted to welcome the publication of Fís Athnuaite, the agency’s new five-year strategic plan. Having served on the Board since 2021, these past four years have been nothing short of remarkable for Irish stories on screen. Amidst challenges and disruptions, Ireland has proven its incredible resilience, weathering many of these changes alongside huge cultural acclaim. As a screen composer myself, I’m deeply proud and grateful to be part of the Irish screen industry and its successes, along with my colleagues across a huge range of disciplines and art forms.
The current Board of Screen Ireland has a diverse skillset, one that showcases the wide range of skills and roles across the industry. I’m proud of the Board’s work in recent years, in providing oversight and governance to Screen Ireland and its supports for the industry.
Together, the staff and Board of Screen Ireland have a strong vision and ambition for the growth of the Irish screen sector. The screen industry around the world is experiencing enormous change, and recent challenges have taken the form of industry contraction, strike action and a reduction in global box office since the pandemic.
In this uncertain environment, it is essential to have a strong national agency like Screen Ireland that can provide strategic support and interventions that work for our sector.
Fís Athnuaite sets out six strategic objectives as priority areas for the next five years of the agency, but there are central, underlying themes embedded throughout, that are key to every objective and every corner of the industry. These include the Irish language; environmental sustainability; diversity and inclusion; and a nationwide approach to industry development and growth.
The Board of Screen Ireland are committed to listening to the artists and organisations that make up our industry, learning from their insight, and taking the next steps together. Along with the staff and Executive of Screen Ireland, we are looking forward to implementing this strategic plan in partnership with the Irish screen industry over the next five years.
- Ray Harman, Board Chair, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland
from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Chief Executive Désirée Finnegan
At the core of Screen Ireland’s mission is the expression of Irish culture on screen and the support of Irish cinema as an artform. This strategy represents a renewed vision for our cultural remit into the future, investing in artistic ambition on screen and providing the space for Irish storytellers to create the best work possible.
During the timeframe of the previous strategic plan ‘Building For A Creative Future 2024’, the Irish screen industry experienced significant disruption but achieved unprecedented levels of commercial and critical acclaim worldwide. These years have also been marked by the emergence of many new voices and creative talent – alongside a new era for Irish-language filmmaking.
With strong and sustained support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Screen Ireland’s remit has expanded and the agency has experienced significant growth with record levels of funding.
Strategic investment has been made across key priority areas including; the National Talent Academies network for skills development, investment in innovation of new formats and storytelling technologies, increased funding thresholds for development and production, the introduction of supports for wellbeing and dignity in the workplace and a comprehensive sustainability framework.
Over the next five years Screen Ireland will support the next generation of filmmakers and creative professionals – producers, directors, screenwriters, animators, VFX artists, game developers and production crew that use their talent, skill and creative vision to make projects possible. Fís Athnuaite also highlights the importance of nationwide development, supporting opportunities across the country and building infrastructure that will help achieve the sector’s collective ambition.
Screen stakeholders and community organisations across the country have shown passion, dedication and vision for the sector. In partnership, together we will build an even more ambitious future for the creative screen industry.
A creative future where Ireland is a cultural and global force, positioned as one of the best screen production environments in the world.
- Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland
- LA Times
Welcome to Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland’s strategic plan, Fís Athnuaite 2025 – 2029, an outline of key priorities and areas of focus for the next five years. Fís Athnuaite has been developed following the delivery of Building For A Creative Future 2024, the agency’s previous strategic plan. It is a reflection on a remarkable period of transformation and success for the Irish screen industry, where international acclaim and history-making successes have sat alongside unprecedented disruptions and challenges. While Screen Ireland aims to continue the successful work of this period, it is essential to expand and refine this vision.
For Fís Athnuaite, a key development is a shift in Screen Ireland’s strategic approach: a stronger focus on building the necessary infrastructure to empower our sector, and a collective responsibility that allows challenges and opportunities to be addressed as they arise. It is essential that the next phase of the Irish screen industry brings screen stakeholders and artists together as equal partners in the future.
What remains is the heart of Screen Ireland’s mission: the expression of national culture on screen.
In a rapidly changing and increasingly competitive marketplace, public funding for Irish film and television is now more essential than ever. Screen Ireland supports projects of all sizes, for both local and international audiences, and over the years, the agency has funded many projects that may never have been made otherwise. Our privilege is the ability to support great stories that can resonate and connect outside of market forces.
This is the basis for a renewed vision of our cultural remit into the future, in supporting creative risk and artistic vision, and providing space for Irish storytellers to make the best work possible.
Fís Athnuaite has been formulated through extensive consultation with internal and external stakeholders across the Irish screen industry.
In research conducted by Alma Economics, a total of 66 stakeholders were engaged through online interviews, including representatives from companies operating in the audiovisual sector, industry trade bodies, audiovisual sector guilds, sector experts, skills organisations, film festivals, studios, distributors, broadcasters, government departments and regulators.
Workshops and focus groups were held in Galway and Dublin, with 40 external participants and approximately 30 members from Screen Ireland. Two comprehensive surveys were designed and distributed, gathering 269 responses from companies across the audiovisual sector, and 290 responses from professionals working in the industry.
This feedback returned to key areas and themes that included: a continued focus on the domestic sector; the importance of IP retention; increased support for Irish-language production; the need for more agile and responsive funding processes; and the development of emerging technologies.
These are reflected throughout the plan and have resulted in the formulation of six distinct strategic objectives that Screen Ireland will commit to fulfilling over the next five-year period.
Fís Athnuaite is a renewed vision for the next phase of the Irish screen industry, building on existing work and using recent successes as its guide.
A key theme throughout Fís Athnuaite is that people are at the heart of every success and every story. When we refer to creative talent or story makers, we mean this to include every member of a production that works with skill and artistry to produce a story on screen.
As a result, a new objective centred on Talent Development has been created in this strategic plan, underlining the central role of artists in our vision for the future of the Irish screen industry.
Increasing scale and ambition is central to the screen industry’s future, across infrastructure and storytelling. Following a significant increase in investment in recent years, there has been an incredible transformation of Irish language cinema which has led to Screen Ireland’s plans to ringfence funding for Irish language storytelling, from short film to TV drama and cinema.
Other areas for exploration and expansion include strengthening the cultural infrastructure across the screen industry nationwide; championing IP development and retention; and sustainability at the heart of every action, both in terms of ambition and responsibility.
Screen Ireland’s Strategic Plan is shaped by our role as the national agency in empowering and supporting the creative screen sector in Ireland.
Our strategic objectives are commitments for Screen Ireland to:
1. SUPPORT Irish CULTURE and ambitious, creative STORYTELLING on screen.
2. INVEST in TALENT DEVELOPMENT for Irish STORY MAKERS and ARTISTS
3. Champion SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY development in PARTNERSHIP with stakeholders NATIONWIDE.
4. SUPPORT and EMPOWER industry to develop SKILLS and a diverse GENERATION of creatives nationwide.
5. BUILD a cultural infrastructure for AUDIENCES to DISCOVER and CONNECT with Irish screen stories.
6. Ensure SCREEN IRELAND is appropriately resourced, agile and SUSTAINABLE to effectively DELIVER for the industry.
A progress review on Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland's previous strategic plan
In 2021, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland launched its three-year strategic plan, Building For A Creative Future 2024, with five strategic objectives for the agency to prioritise.
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland will publish an in-depth progress review shortly, detailing in full how Screen Ireland fulfilled objectives and key actions set out in this plan from 2021 to 2024.
As the national agency for the Irish film, television, animation, documentary, VFX and digital games industries, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is the creative partner to the sector, investing in talent, creativity, innovation and enterprise. We are inspired by original storytelling that will resonate with audiences at home and abroad.
Through a wide range of practical funding supports across development, production, distribution, marketing and skills development, Screen Ireland supports the sector at every stage. We provide a foundation for filmmakers in their creative pursuit to share valuable artistic, cultural and commercial stories on screen.
Screen Ireland works with artists at all levels and at all stages, from career beginnings to commercial success, and achievements on the world’s stage. We support the story makers: all those whose creative skills, talent, and expertise are brought together to create high-quality film, television, animation, documentary and digital games projects that are then brought to audiences in Ireland and internationally.
Screen Ireland is dedicated to the development and growth of the industry nationwide, advocating for a dual approach that balances Irish production and international projects. Our ambition for the sector is that local and international production can take place across Ireland, bringing the cultural and economic benefits to the entire country.
Screen Ireland’s mission is based on the Irish Film Board Act 1980. In it, the agency’s mission is to:
Screen Ireland’s vision is to:
The Board, Executive and staff of Screen Ireland prioritise our values as an organisation and will always endeavour to engage in work that upholds these values of being creative, sustainable, optimistic, inclusive, ambitious and fair.
- Irish Times
In 2024, the global film and TV industry faced a slowdown that affected every area of the business.
US feature production levels in 2023 fell by over 35%: 510 films in 2023 as opposed to 810 in 2022.1
That had a knock-on effect for exhibition in 2024 with a product shortage and reduced numbers of movies for cinema operators to programme.
The post-pandemic global film and TV production boom came to an end. According to research from Bectu revealed in late July 2024 half of UK screen industry workers remain out of work, research from the UK’s media and entertainment union.
The union also described a state of emergency in the TV industry as that sector experienced its steepest ever decline in TV broadcast audiences in 2023.
The move away from viewing on linear TV to SVOD has continued, leading to further atomisation of the audience as people watch content at times that suit them.
Although, some have predicted this could benefit movies with recent research in Denmark suggesting younger audiences in particular hanker for the collective experience of watching genres like horror and comedy on the big screen.
After years of growth, viewing hours for streamer services began to flatline, although Netflix subscriber numbers have continued to increase and were at 282.72 million globally by late 2024.
In China, which had briefly outstripped North America as the biggest global film market in revenue terms, theatrical box office dropped in 2024 by an estimated $1.7 billion on the three year average.
Cinema admissions in India declined albeit the fall was masked by ticket price rises. Cinema admissions in major Latin American markets still lagged behind what they were in 2019 and a number of expected global blockbusters ended up selling fewer tickets than anticipated.
However, the sector has been rallying.
Despite the buffeting experienced in the first half of 2024, toward the end of the year, optimism returned. It wasn’t just the surge in global box office, after several lean years, Disney was again the leading US studio - and the company was insisting on a 64 day theatrical window for most of its releases, safeguarding the theatrical experience.
Although cinemagoing wasn’t back at pre-Covid levels (it was at approximately $26 billion in 2023 having been at $39 billion in 2019), across Europe, box office results in 2024 were slightly better than had been anticipated.
The annual haul in the UK and Ireland in 2024 was £1.06 billion, only very marginally down on the 2023 figures of £1.062 billion.
Across Europe, certain local movies were achieving strong, and largely unexpected, results. In Italy in 2023/2024, black and white 1940s set feminist melodrama, There’s Still Tomorrow, made $40 million at the local box office.
In 2024, meanwhile, a Swedish local documentary, The Last Journey, about a retired teacher and his son going on a road trip to France, sold more than 400,000 cinema tickets - a record number that was all the more striking given this was a movie which appealed most to an older demographic.
There are signs in the UK and Irish market that independent and foreign language films are re-establishing a foothold both in cinemas and on streaming services. There is also evidence of an emerging younger cinephile audience, with younger viewers using social platform Letterboxd to find recommendations.
Independent arthouse streaming company, producer and distributor MUBI is continuing to grow with offices in 14 countries and a slate including new festival favourites and award contenders (The Substance, Past Lives) as well as classic older titles.
In Europe, there was renewed confidence with regard to the prospects for independent domestic production.
During 2024, the UK, increased tax incentives for low and medium budget local productions - and boosted fiscal measures for VFX. In Ireland, there were further enhancements to Section 481 film tax credit.
The European gaming industry has moved from being a niche market to becoming a “powerhouse industry worth nearly $187 million in global revenues” in 2024.
Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) are likewise driving economic growth. When PwC’s 2019 report Seeing Is Believing estimated that “VR and AR have the potential to add $1.5 trillion to the global economy by 2030,” many scoffed at what seemed an absurdly optimistic target.
However, by 2024, the XR market was already worth $25 billion according to Augmented World Expo analysts – and, after AI, is the fast growing tech sector.
Meanwhile, there are signs in some territories that the EU’s Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), is successfully funneling extra resources into domestic movie production.
AVMSD allows Member States to place financial levies on VOD services based elsewhere, but targeting their national audiences. The levies are optional but platforms also face a mandatory 30% quota of projects made in Europe.
In France, the global streamers led by Disney, Netflix and Prime Video are currently being asked to invest a minimum of 20% of local turnover back into French production as part of the Directive. A report published in November 2024 by France’s National Cinema Centre (CNC) and audiovisual authority ARCOM revealed that this had led to international streamers investing $1.02 billion in French production.
Governments throughout Europe and beyond are continuing to support tax initiatives to lure inward investment projects.
In November 2024, Denmark became the latest to launch a film tax incentive with a rebate on expenses worth an expected 25%. The UK also improved their tax incentive schemes in the last year.
Tax incentive schemes have always been subject to revision. Nonetheless, they remain crucial to growing the film and TV sectors in Europe and beyond.
“Survive till 25” was a familiar refrain in 2024, voiced across different sectors of the international industry during what was widely acknowledged as a period of retrenchment and economic uncertainty.
However, the year ended with the global industry looking to rebound, and with existential fears about its long-term future largely allayed.
– The Guardian
The Irish screen industry has witnessed dramatic change, even in the relatively short period of time since Building For A Creative Future was first published in 2021. Shaped by factors that include record-breaking production growth, international acclaim and success, global disruptions, and more robust, structured support for screen production in Ireland, this is a rapidly evolving landscape.
In 2018, the government launched the Audiovisual Action Plan, a €200 million funding programme as part of the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht’s capital investment plan Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018—2027.
This Plan set out the high-level, strategic capital priorities for the Department over the next ten years which will include the development of a vibrant Audiovisual and Media Production sector, bringing new economic opportunities across Ireland, through increased Government support.
Since the Audiovisual Action Plan was launched, Screen Ireland has acted on each recommendation set out in the plan, which included areas as wide-ranging as: systemic improvements to tax incentive Section 481, led by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media; an increase in development and production funding; an increase in the production of new Irish cinema and TV drama; the establishment of a nationwide production fund; and more structured, targeted training and upskilling for film workers and crew, particularly on a nationwide basis.
Screen Ireland is once again committed to working closely with Government Departments and other state bodies to prepare for a new phase of expansion and renewal for the audiovisual sector in Ireland.
Key recommendations in the report, such as the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Service Directive, have made significant progress, and Screen Ireland is committed to continue working in partnership with Coimisiún na Meán on the potential for a European works levy.
The Audiovisual Action Plan also called for the transposition of the EU Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market, to benefit the protection and exploitation of intellectual property derived through creative screen production in Ireland.
Since its transposition into Irish law, Screen Ireland has supported ongoing discussion and engagement with wider industry stakeholders, independently facilitating meetings with representatives for screenwriters, directors, composers, actors, animation and live-action producers, with all parties reaching consensus on interim best practice industry guidelines at the end of 2024.
In September 2020, The Future of Media Commission was set up by the Government to examine the future of media in Ireland. Screen Ireland strongly supports the role of Irish public-service media in promoting cultural diversity and Irish storytelling on screen that is accessible to audiences across Ireland.
In recent years, this suite of measures implemented has worked collectively to strengthen the Government’s widely stated ambition for Ireland to become a global centre of excellence.
Recent changes to Section 481 in successive Government Budgets have underlined Ireland’s strong commitment to its creative screen industry.
In 2022, a Digital Games Relief was introduced, signalling the huge potential of Ireland’s creative digital economy.
In 2023, Section 481 was extended to 2028, providing stability and continuity for Ireland as an international competitor.
In 2024, Screen Ireland welcomed an increase in the cap on eligible expenditure for Section 481 to €125 million.
2025 will see the introduction of an 8% uplift for Irish feature film, along with the introduction of a 20% tax incentive for unscripted production, pending European Commission approval.
These cumulative changes have created a broader range of opportunities for the Irish screen industry as it enters a new phase of development.
Between 2021 and 2023, the audiovisual sector supported a total of 15,899 FTEs across its various components, highlighting the industry’s role as a significant employer in the Irish economy. The sector generated approximately €862.0 million in labour compensation, demonstrating its contribution to local wages and economic activity.
The total Gross Value Added (GVA) for the audiovisual industry reached €1,061.4 million, reflecting the significant value generated by the sector across live action and animation, digital production, distribution, publishing, transmission and exhibition.
These figures underline the audiovisual sector's importance as a key driver of economic growth, fostering job creation and supporting related industries throughout Ireland.
Further industry growth into the future requires strong and robust policies for skills development and job creation across the sector.
Recent engagement with the Irish audiovisual industry indicated areas for improvement and growth, including: addressing skills and talent shortages; ensuring equity, diversity and inclusion measures are robust across the sector; improving talent retention; and building careers through continuous learning and targeted training initiatives.
The Irish Government’s national skills development strategy places an emphasis on lifelong learning and active inclusion. Screen Ireland’s National Talent Academy network in particular – now comprising six different academies and hubs in the East, West and South of the country – reflects this policy of bringing together active engagement and wide-ranging supports for new entrants and industry professionals alike.
The success of the Irish screen industry—driven by both individual achievements and collective growth—has launched the industry to new heights. However, challenges remain, particularly in light of the global screen industry.
This expansion has created a landscape rich with opportunity, and there is much still to play for as the industry continues to grow.
It is a field with expansive potential – where new ideas, workflows and storytelling formats can play a pivotal role in redefining the future of screen production.
– The Conversation
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland has set out six distinct strategic objectives for its five-year plan, each representing a shared ambition for the future of the Irish screen industry. Each objective outlines several key actions proposed to address these areas and to measure against on an annual basis until 2029.
SUPPORT Irish CULTURE and ambitious, creative STORYTELLING on screen
The expression of Irish life and culture on screen is at the heart of Screen Ireland’s mission.
This is an expansive remit: it allows for a vast range of stories that can express Ireland – its values, concerns, daily life and history – in all of its diversity and breadth. Aiming to identify projects that will connect deeply with an audience, Screen Ireland believes in supporting stories that are set out with purpose, authenticity and passion – and are made with high production values that reflect the shared work, vision and skill of the creative and artistic team.
Through funding and strategic support, our aim is to lead the development of a cultural infrastructure that provides artists with the space and freedom to take creative risks and to truly commit to their story at the highest possible levels of craft and ambition.
Each genre is equally important to Screen Ireland’s vision for the future.
Feature film made for the big screen and intended to be viewed as a shared audience experience is core to our vision, and key to expanding Ireland’s already stellar reputation on the world’s stage.
Irish animation is a global force that has driven high-profile production, artistic and commercial success, and Screen Ireland’s aim is to encourage more innovation and the exploration of new technologies in order to become a sectoral global leader.
Ireland has a strong and dynamic documentary sector, making documentaries that are as impactful as they are entertaining.
Screen Ireland’s support for high-end TV drama in recent years has resulted in a strong increase in national output, and presents an ideal opportunity to bring drama production into a new phase of ambition and enterprise.
VFX and post-production in particular is a rapidly expanding sector, essential to all genres of screen production, and Screen Ireland is committed to championing its recent success as a strong opportunity for industry growth.
In order to increase the scale and ambition of Irish language storytelling and ensure it continues to thrive, Screen Ireland will ringfence funding across all genres for Irish language projects.
1. Strengthen and invest in national cinema and Irish film culture by supporting ambitious and creative feature film projects.
2. Support a creative development process to empower the industry to fully develop projects prior to production.
3. Expand creative opportunities for collaborative storytelling through European co-production and international partnerships.
4. Foster distinctive and ambitious Irish high-end TV for global audiences.
5. Support the Irish animation sector’s continued visual artistry, encouraging innovation and global scale.
6. Continue to support feature film and series creative documentary that demonstrate cinematic ambition and vision.
7. Partner with the post-production and VFX sector to identify new business opportunities and drive its rapid growth potential.
8. Capitalise on the global opportunity for the digital games sector in Ireland through dedicated supports and partnerships.
9. Support storytelling innovation through new formats and creative technologies.
10. Ringfence funding for Irish language across all storytelling areas to increase scale and ambition.
INVEST in TALENT DEVELOPMENT for Irish STORY MAKERS and ARTISTS
Screen Ireland believes that talent development is at the heart of a thriving screen industry.
Investing in talent development is essential for the development of sustainable careers at all stages of the journey – allowing emerging artists to develop their voice, while ensuring that experienced filmmakers continue to evolve on a global stage.
Screen Ireland’s aim is to work together with the Irish screen industry to support artists and creatives as they take their next step in building a long-term career.
This is underpinned by a strong commitment to the development of opportunities nationwide, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion, ensuring that the Irish screen industry represents contemporary Ireland as fully as possible, both in front of and behind the camera.
Screen Ireland’s strategic approach to talent development will encompass a wide range of supports: from direct funding schemes to creative mentoring to ensuring that a strong and stable pipeline of production is in place for the industry.
The reputation of Irish talent, both its creatives and crew, is increasingly central to Ireland’s offering as a global production hub. Building on this reputation and highlighting its collective strength emphasises the value it brings – not just to international studios basing productions in Ireland, but to Irish story makers bringing their projects to international markets.
1. Invest in a wide range of short film production schemes to discover and nurture diverse voices and emerging filmmakers.
2. Provide a range of supports to invest in talent development and career growth opportunities for producers.
3. Develop a range of creative voices via direct funding initiatives for creative talent.
4. Prioritise targeted talent development opportunities for crew and workforce through production pipeline.
5. Support the promotion and recognition of Irish creative talent, both nationally and internationally.
– The Journal
Champion SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRY development in PARTNERSHIP with stakeholders NATIONWIDE
Screen Ireland has always advocated for a dual approach to industry development, one that maintains a balance between Irish and international projects, and creates a range of opportunities for Irish creatives to work in partnership with Irish or international studios.
As our industry continues to grow, balance and partnership remain priorities, alongside an enhanced focus on sustainable production.
Screen Ireland is committed to championing a joined-up approach to industry development in the future, working with all stakeholders and industry partners to collectively deliver on the Government’s ambition to establish Ireland as a global production hub.
As an agency, we remain deeply committed to best practice and the principles of sustainability in all aspects of industry development, whether that is responsible economic growth; environmental protection; green production; dignity in the workplace; or nationwide development.
Screen Ireland’s aim is to provide strong leadership across greener production practices, continuing its prior work in this area, which includes industry-wide standards - commissioned and published in 2022 - and forward-thinking sustainability funds and programmes, like the agency’s Sustainability Advisor Fund and Sustainability Innovation Fund.
Screen Ireland aims to empower production companies across the country to develop the right skills, knowledge, capacity and business capabilities to compete globally, and to incorporate strong governance and financial practices into their organisations.
The importance of generating and retaining intellectual property is key for Ireland’s producers and artists, and we are committed to ensuring its fair treatment across Screen Ireland-funded projects.
As new formats and technologies open up, new avenues and forms of creative storytelling can offer opportunities for artists to cross disciplines and explore new forms of creativity.
Screen Ireland will work closely with the industry on futureproofing and safeguarding in relation to new and emerging technologies, emphasising the importance of research, education and training in these areas when it comes to new production workflows and international best practice.
To achieve ambitious levels of transformation and growth for the industry, a nationwide approach will be required, coordinating a wide-ranging set of supports and talent development opportunities across the country.
1. Champion a nationwide approach to industry development, working in partnership with stakeholders across Ireland.
2. Encourage an industry focus on IP generation and retention and fair treatment of IP for Screen Ireland-supported projects.
3. Attract large-scale, international projects into Ireland, bolstering its growing reputation as a world-class production hub.
4. Prioritise Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) principles across the Irish screen industry: championing dignity in the workplace through the Safe to Create programme; and ensuring Ireland demonstrates leadership in green production practices.
5. Support the building of strong independent production companies to achieve scale and compete on a global basis, in partnership with other state agencies and stakeholders.
SUPPORT and EMPOWER industry to develop SKILLS and a diverse GENERATION of creatives nationwide
People are at the heart of success for the audiovisual sector. Screen Ireland aims for a human-centred approach to skills development; one that helps and supports people to realise their potential, to develop their creative, technical, personal, entrepreneurial skills, and ultimately, to succeed in their roles, projects and careers.Our overarching aim is to attract, retain and develop talent and skills across individual roles, but also to support wider career progression, career transitions and overall sustainability of employment.
The rapid growth of the screen industry in Ireland, as well as new challenges and opportunities for the sector as a whole, requires a more systemic approach for long-term commercial and creative success. As a result, Screen Ireland’s aim is to empower the entire industry to work together, to regularly identify skills needs and gaps across the sector as they emerge, and to implement new initiatives in a sustainable, integrated way.
By supporting skills development through strategic partnership and collaboration, we aim to build a stronger ecosystem, supported by stakeholder organisations, Screen Ireland’s National Talent Academy network and Irish production companies nationwide.
With an aligned skills strategy, there is a strong opportunity to provide leadership and increase our sector’s capacity for innovation and risk-taking – building on existing progress and expanding our ambition for skills provision at a world-class level.
1. Address priority skills areas and emerging needs, through enhanced Section 481 skills and professional development programmes.
2. Work with the National Talent Academy network, industry stakeholders, guilds and key community groups to evolve current and next generation talent.
3. Empower key stakeholders to build sectoral capacity in order to deliver key skills development initiatives nationwide, with a key focus on supporting skills development, career progression and workforce retention.
4. Work in partnership with key stakeholders to more systemically develop a fully inclusive and sustainable sector, with dignity in the workplace, diversity, equity and inclusion at its centre.
5. Progress world-class, innovative approaches to learning and development, in collaboration with key stakeholders.
BUILD a cultural infrastructure for AUDIENCES to DISCOVER and CONNECT with Irish screen stories
The power of Irish stories on screen lie in their connections to audiences.
There are a multitude of cultural, commercial and artistic connections to be made: forged at film festivals, in cinemas, on streaming platforms and on linear TV – as well as in shared community settings like arts centres, schools and at event cinema.
We aim to focus attention on strengthening a wider cultural infrastructure that will allow audiences in Ireland and around the world to discover and engage with Irish film and television as easily and as frequently as possible.
This wider cultural infrastructure is formed with strategic supports for Irish film festivals nationwide; international Irish film festivals in key territories and cities with a strong Irish diaspora; and a wider promotional apparatus that utilises targeted marketing assets and strong relationships with key distributors, sales agents and cultural partners.
It is also supported by discovery tools like Where to Watch Ireland and other online partnerships that will aim to make Irish content as easily discoverable as possible.
An emphasis on collective success empowers individual Irish screen stories to place themselves in the context of a global cultural offering – a ‘green wave’ of success.
1. Consolidate existing and future supports for Irish film distribution and film festivals to create a strong local infrastructure for audience development.
2. Promote Irish creative screen content to international festivals, sales agents and distributors.
3. Place a strategic focus on audience engagement at late development and post-production stage.
4. Invest in strong media assets for Irish film, television and animation and create local and international campaigns to build audience awareness of Irish screen stories.
5. Build next generation audiences in partnership with industry, through outreach, marketing and communications campaigns and key events.
Ensure SCREEN IRELAND is appropriately resourced, agile and SUSTAINABLE to effectively DELIVER for the industry
Screen Ireland will continue to support and advocate for the creative screen sector in Ireland.
Key to this vision is shared responsibility and communication with the wider Irish screen industry – ensuring the sector is empowered to identify and respond to issues collectively and cohesively.
We will work to bring together the resources available to strengthen and develop creative solutions, build supportive infrastructure and champion a thriving and inclusive screen industry.
In order to do this, Screen Ireland will continue to be an agency that is efficient, effective, and responsive, scaling the organisation appropriately to meet industry ambitions for the future.
Screen Ireland commits to the principles of good governance, as outlined in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies. As an agency, we strive to implement the highest standard of corporate governance structures to ensure Screen Ireland acts prudently and ethically, as well as with transparency and accountability, for all actions taken.
We will comply with all legislative, statutory and best practice requirements in relation to governance, financial and performance reporting.
Screen Ireland is committed to delivering on the Public Sector Climate Action Mandate targets, with strong results to date.
Already, the agency has achieved a 31% reduction in overall GHG emissions, with a remaining target to achieve a 51% reduction in energy related emissions by 2030, and has already reached the energy efficiency target of 50%.
1. Provide leadership in Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) practices, delivering on Screen Ireland’s legislative, statutory and governance commitments including sustainability, through new and progressive initiatives.
2. Streamline Screen Ireland’s internal processes to ensure a reduction in turnaround time for applications.
3. Enhance industry engagement with Screen Ireland through increased stakeholder communication and feedback.
4. Continue to foster a positive organisational culture at Screen Ireland, promoting and encouraging staff well-being, professional learning, actively promoting innovation and creative ideas within the organisation.
5. Implement a new digital strategy for Screen Ireland, incorporating agile workflows and new processes to increase efficiency.
The six objectives set out in Screen Ireland’s 2025 - 2029 Strategic Plan are intended as building blocks for the future: pillars that will act as a guide for this new phase we are entering as a sector. This strategic plan will be overseen by the Board and implemented by the Executive, management and staff of Screen Ireland. Progress reports will be published to ensure clear communication and accountability to all stakeholders.
As set out in this strategic plan, Screen Ireland’s commitment to support, sustain and grow the Irish screen industry in the coming years is a testament to the people who make it happen - creatives and crew, across film, television, animation, digital games and documentary. We remain partners and advocates for the story makers of Ireland.
– Martin Scorsese
