Screen Ireland Strategic Plan and Economic Impact Report Review

The Screen Ireland Strategic Plan and Economic Impact Report Review examines the Alma Economics research commissioned by Screen Ireland, which was conducted in 2024 and covers 2021 to 2023. The underlying study finds that the audiovisual sector supports 10,450 full-time equivalent jobs directly and 15,899 in total, with the research focusing mainly on film, TV and animation while also offering insight into digital games. The review positions the digital games sector as a strong but still relatively small part of Irish creative industries, with clear potential for growth given adequate national and international support.

Within the broader digital production segment, which includes animation, VFX, post-production, digital games and VR/AR, the study records 3,026 FTE jobs, €140.9 million in labour compensation and €129.4 million in direct gross value added. Publishing and QA form a particularly significant strand, with twelve active companies, including Electronic Arts and Activision-Blizzard-King, supporting 1,604 FTE jobs. Game development itself accounts for 1,147 FTE jobs, most of them at small companies employing fewer than five people. A notable regional finding is that around 15 percent of games development takes place outside Dublin and Wicklow, in contrast to the concentration of film and TV production in those areas.

The research relied on a mix of desk-based work, interviews, workshops, focus groups and surveys, with 19 percent of skills-analysis respondents drawn from the games sector. The review highlights the study's emphasis on the continued importance of Section 481 tax incentives and the case for a revised Section 481A for digital games. It also flags the volatility of animation employment, which fell notably in 2022, and suggests scope for closer collaboration between games and animation.

Skills development emerges as a central concern, with 59 percent of respondents disagreeing that graduates and entry-level professionals have sufficient development opportunities. Identified gaps include business development, legal knowledge, self-promotion and adapting to new tools, alongside calls for targeted business support, subsidised placements and stronger funding for smaller Irish companies. The review concludes that the report is a valuable resource for understanding Creative Industries funding in Ireland and for engaging with policy stakeholders.