Calls for restoration of film and TV incentive to support productions in Limerick and the Mid-West

THERE are calls to restore the regional TV and film incentive in a bid to keep Ireland and the Mid-West on the map for internationally acclaimed productions. 

According to a report by Olsberg SPI on behalf of Innovate Limerick and Film in Limerick, the incentive, which encouraged productions to film outside Dublin, could mean that locations like Limerick and the wider region, will be neglected. 

The report argues that “without renewed support, Ireland risks losing jobs, investment and its competitive edge in the global screen sector.” 

The Mid-West is home to Ireland’s largest film studio, 350,000 square feet of Troy Studios. 

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Since Troy Studios opened and Film in Limerick was set up, Limerick and more widely, the Mid-West, have developed into one of the country’s leading regional screen hubs, resulting in a really positive local economic impact. 

The area also boasts more than 350 locally-based crew with experience on major features and TV dramas. 

In 2018, while Nightflyers was being produced for Netflix, 90% of the crew were Irish and the production generated €53 million for the local economy. 

The Irish-Belgian feature Bonhoeffer was shot across locations in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary, while the upcoming film 4 Kids Walk into a Bank took over the city streets with many people capturing candid snaps of Liam Neeson on their lunchtime city walks. 

The report, commissioned by Innovate Limerick/Film in Limerick as part of its ongoing efforts to assess and strengthen the Mid-West’s role in Ireland’s national screen industry, highlights future skills requirements and supports the continued growth of the region’s screen industry. Additional support was provided by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and the Local Enterprise Offices in the Mid-West.

Paul C Ryan, Regional Film Manager, at Film in Limerick, said: “As the report makes clear, without a functioning and long-term regional uplift, the regions cannot compete on a level playing field with Dublin and Wicklow. Restoring it will ensure that every region can keep crews in consistent work, and attract world-class productions.”

The report also highlights the wider economic benefits, with more than 90 local businesses, from hotels to hardware suppliers, engaged by a single feature film production in the region.

With global competition intensifying, the study concludes that reinstating the regional uplift is a decisive step to keep Ireland at the forefront of international film and TV production.