Ms Aoife O'Sullivan:

Unfortunately, very often decisions on where to shoot film productions come down to monetary considerations, and the regional tax credit has been a real incentive for producers to go to the regions to shoot. I have two productions shooting in Kerry and Galway next year, and the regional tax credit has been a huge consideration in that. In the past, it was cheaper to shoot in Dublin and Wicklow, because most of the crews are based there, and travel and accommodation costs do not have to be considered. The regional tax credit helps to offset those costs, and enables productions to be set in the west, where sometimes they really want to be. There is no point in shooting in Wicklow for a film that is set in Kerry, Galway or Donegal, when producers can actually go there. Therefore, the extension of the regional tax credit would be good for the industry and would help decentralise it.