Fine Gael MEPs have urged Minister for Media Patrick O’Donovan to meet an organisation pushing for a levy on streaming services like Netflix, telling him “Irish content doesn’t grow on trees”.
Screen Producers Ireland (SPI) met three Fine Gael MEPs – Regina Doherty, Seán Kelly and Maria Walsh - last month.
It is part of a coalition that supports the introduction of a content production levy on TV streamers to fund Irish productions
Such levies are in place in some other European countries.
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Coimisiún na Meán, the Media Commission, presented Mr O’Donovan with a feasibility study for an audiovisual content levy and fund earlier this year.
This week Mr O’Donovan got Cabinet approval for proposals aimed at ensuring ministerial sign-off would be required for any such levy as part of the planned Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill.
On Thursday, Mr O’Donovan said this is a “layer of protection for the Irish consumer” and he has “no intention of directing or allowing” a content production levy “until such a time as I am satisfied that such a levy will not impose an undue burden”.
[ Netflix levy plan set to be blocked as viewers are already ‘paying enough’Opens in new window ]
Another proposed measure to be included in the Bill is a requirement for RTÉ to spend at least 25 per cent of its public funding on content commissioned from the independent production sector.
The Fine Gael MEPs met SPI on March 25th.
They wrote to Mr O’Donovan, highlighting the “ongoing discussion across the industry about the EU streaming levy”.
They said Ireland’s film and TV sector “can’t be taken for granted” and “Irish content doesn’t grow on trees” adding: “Without clear, sustainable funding in place, we risk falling behind our European counterparts who are already moving ahead with support for their own industries.”
The MEPs “strongly” encouraged Mr O’Donovan to meet SPI. “Our independent production sector needs clarity and support.”
On Thursday, Ms Doherty, Mr Kelly and Ms Walsh all spoke of Mr O’Donovan’s “work in supporting the arts” while backing the measures he brought to Cabinet in response to queries from The Irish Times.
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Ms Doherty said the draft legislation’s measures will “provide for greater levels of funding for independent producers”.
SPI chief executive Susan Kirby said her organisation has not yet met the Minister and it is “eager” to do so “to seek further clarity and ensure that the sector’s concerns are addressed”.
She called for the feasibility study to be published and highlighted how a committee of MPs in the UK has recommended a levy there to protect British content.
Ms Kirby said: “We need indigenous Irish stories and this levy could go a long way in protecting the future of Irish production.”
She said the levy would be on “significant profits being made by streaming services in the Irish market” and it would not be “an additional charge on members of the public”.
The Department of Media said “meetings with representatives of the independent production sector will be arranged in due course”.
“Having considered Coimisiún na Meán’s report fully, it is the Minister’s firm view that introducing this levy risks placing an additional financial burden on Irish households already experiencing cost of living pressures,” it said.
The department added that publication of the feasibility study is a matter for Coimisiún na Meán.
The Irish Times understands the report is set to be published in the coming weeks.
