Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland has today announced the launch of a new skills report in response to the rapid development of the Irish screen sector and its potential for future growth.
Production activity in Ireland has continued to grow at a steady level over recent years. In 2022, a production spend of €361,487 million was recorded, driven by both Irish and international productions across feature film, TV drama, documentary and animation – an increase of €4 million from 2019, the year preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Screen Ireland-supported projects have garnered over 150 awards and nominations throughout the year. This high volume of recognition highlights the sustained growth, success and impact of the Irish screen industry on the international stage.
The Skills Challenge for the Screen Sector in Ireland 2023 report was commissioned by Screen Ireland in the context of this recent growth and success, to identify key challenges to future industry growth over the next 5–10-year period. The report sets out recommendations to ensure adequate scale and capacity are in place to meet potential increased demand.
The report acknowledges the significant progress made in recent years across skills and talent development and has supported the success of the sector to date, including work by the Screen Ireland skills team on collaborating with the sector to develop competency frameworks; the development of a quality-assured skills tracking process for the skills requirements of the Section 481 tax credit; the establishment of the National Talent Academies to develop and drive new opportunities for diverse and regional talent at all levels; and the launch of a new industry directory for the Irish screen sector – the Screen Crew & Services Database.
In spite of this progress, the report also indicates that there is clear scope to build on this work and respond to new global demand for content by providing skills-led interventions to support the development of production companies, emerging creative talent and regional crew workforce in Ireland.
The findings of the report include recognition of the importance of structured collaboration between third-level education and industry, the need to provide more information about the opportunities and benefits of a career in the screen sector, a need for more long-term strategic planning for the sector, the need to further address key skills gaps and crew shortages to support industry development and the need for more diversity within the sector.
The recent growth and success of the Irish screen sector demonstrates what is possible when the right funding and support is in place. This report builds on Screen Ireland’s strategy to invest in the talent and skills required for sustainable industry growth. Its findings and recommendations will serve to better support the sector to address key challenges, build on the strong foundations that are in place, and capitalise on the global opportunities that are available.
Gareth Lee, Head of Skills & Professional Development – Screen Ireland
The Skills Challenge for the Screen Sector in Ireland 2023 report was produced by David W. Duffy from The Governance Company, a leading published author on corporate governance based on over 20 years of advising organisations nationally and internationally.
A full copy of the report and its findings is available below: