IRELAND’S TELEVISION AND animation sector has seen a growth in both output and employment in 2012.

An investment by the Irish Film Board (IFB) of €10.5 million into film, television and animation projects led to record levels of foreign direct investment throughout 2012.

Spread among 30 projects, the €10.5 million investment led to a further €118 million being raised in direct foreign investment. Of this, €80 million was invested directly into the Irish economy through the purchase of local services and employment.

The estimated total expenditure across the sector for 2012 was €180 million, up 30 per cent on last year.

In addition, the number of those employed within the audiovisual industry increased from 5,000 in 2008, to 6,500 in 2012.

The Chief Executive of the Irish Film Board, James Hickey said that the increase in production on last year was remarkable “when you consider that this activity has happened against an extremely challenging economic and fiscal climate”.

“The export of IFB funded film and TV programmes and animation works also continues to boost tourism and present positive images of Ireland to audiences around the globe,” he said.

Other successes of note for Ireland’s domestic film industry were:

• Four Oscar nominations for Irish films (three for Albert Nobbs and one for the short film Pentacost).
• 30+ A-list festival selections for Irish feature films in 2012.
• JAM Media was named European Producer of the Year at Cartoon Tributes.
• JAM Media and Boulder Media both won awards at the Children’s BAFTAs.
• The nomination of three Irish documentaries for Grierson Awards.
• Six Irish documentaries were selected for the prestigious International Documentary Film Festival in Amsterdam.
• 19 Irish features were released in Irish cinemas.

To coincide with Ireland’s hosting of the EU Presidency next year a European TV trade mission is planned for March 2013, and is set to include the producers of projects such as The Killing and Borgen.

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