Audiovisual Ireland Congratulates Poor Things Oscar Winners and Urges Response to UK Budget

Audiovisual Ireland, the Ibec representative group for the screen industry, welcomed the wonderful achievement by Element Pictures’ Poor Things in winning 4 Oscars. This was a great weekend for Irish talent, with Cillian Murphy winning Best Actor in a Leading Role.

As Ireland celebrates Oscars success, Audiovisual Ireland calls upon the Government to consider how best to respond to the UK's announcement last Wednesday of a new tax incentive aimed at the screen industry, a development that could potentially diminish Ireland's appeal for securing projects.

Torlach Denihan, Director of Audiovisual Ireland, said: "Over the past decade, the Irish screen industry has achieved remarkable international success, with the S.481 film tax incentive playing a pivotal role. The new tax incentive unveiled in the UK Budget on Wednesday demands careful scrutiny, as it may lure business away from Ireland. It is imperative that Ireland's screen sector maintains its competitiveness, given its significant contribution of over 12,000 jobs and annual production activity exceeding €700 million, alongside its profound cultural, economic, and developmental impact. Failure to respond appropriately to the UK's announcement could erode these achievements. Ireland has a strong track record of taking proactive measures to support the sector, as demonstrated by last year's decision to raise the S.481 film tax incentive cap to €120 million. By combining state support, the talent of Irish cast and crew, and the entrepreneurial vision of screen industry companies, even greater heights can be achieved."

Audiovisual Ireland represents animation, film and television production, postproduction and VFX, broadcasters, screen content studios, and cable and satellite service providers.