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Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Irish TV tax break gets green light from Europe
RTÉ could be a major beneficiary of the €211m scheme, with The Late Late Show among the programmes that should qualify. The commission examined the plan, announced by minister Jack Chambers in last year's Budget, under EU state-aid rules. The aim is to promote the production of unscripted audiovisual programmes with either Irish or European cultural content. The measure will be introduced for a four-year period, backdated to last December and running until December 31, 2028. The aid is in the form of a tax credit of up to 20pc of the production expenditure that happens in Ireland. The maximum support cannot cover more than 16pc of the total cost of production. To be eligible, a programme must have a minimum cost of €250,000, with half of that being spent in Ireland. A 'cultural test', which will be designed by the Government, will be used to ensure that the unscripted productions 'contribute meaningfully to the promotion and expression of Irish or European culture'. Anthony Muldoon, director of strategic policy at Screen Producers Ireland (SPI), said the tax incentive is a 'transformative' investment for Ireland's creative industry. 'It will empower our producers and creators to develop and produce high-quality programmes that resonate with both domestic and international audiences,' he said. Members of SPI had joined together to campaign for the tax credit, forming an Unscripted Working Group, and had co-operated with the Department of Finance and Revenue, as well as with the Department of Arts and Media. Stuart Switzer, chair of the Unscripted Working Group, said he was thrilled that the European Commission had decided to approve the aid package. 'This is a first in Europe, and a recognition that the creative unscripted sector in Ireland has the potential to emulate the success of our scripted colleagues,' he said. 'The challenge will be to ensure the benefits of the incentive are retained within the independent production sector to build companies of scale.' According to an analysis included in the Tax Strategy Group papers last year, spending on unscripted TV productions could increase from about €90m a year to €300m if a tax credit was introduced. It referred to two similar schemes in Europe, operated by Malta and Cyprus. "If introduced, such a relief could have the potential to support additional employment in the sector and increase demand for studio space,' the report said.
Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Big shift in drinking habits as data reveals Irish adults now in line with EU average
The latest data has been described as consistent with a downward trend recorded over the last 25 years among drinkers in Ireland. A new report by economist Anthony Foley found the average alcohol consumption per adult fell by 4.5pc last year to 9.49 litres of pure alcohol. This is a drop of more than one-third (34.3pc) since 2001. Total consumption in Ireland fell by 2.4pc last year to 41.5 million litres, which equates to an overall 4.5pc drop in alcohol intake per person when population increase is factored in. The report indicates that consumption tastes are also evolving. Beer was Ireland's most popular alcoholic drink last year, with its market share increasing marginally to 43.3pc despite an overall drop in beer consumption. Wine was the second most popular drink, increasing its market share to 28.2pc in 2024 – up from 13pc in 2000. Meanwhile, spirits fell by 0.4pc to 22.3pc and cider fell by 0.1pc to 6.1pc. The report was commissioned by the Drinks Industry Group of Ireland (Digi), which said the figures demonstrated that Irish people were increasingly drinking alcohol in moderation. It follows other recent data which suggests that alcohol consumption in Ireland is now at average European levels. Data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for 2022 revealed that Irish consumption ranks behind countries including France, Spain and Austria, and a separate report by the Health Research Board last year also indicated that Ireland's alcohol consumption was at average levels by EU or OECD standards. Donall O'Keeffe, the secretary of Digi and chief executive of the Licensed Vintners Association, said the findings were reflective of a trend over the last 25 years. He also called on the Government to cut excise rates. 'Today's figures offer clear proof of what many of us already know – Irish people are increasingly drinking in a restrained manner, with consumption continuing the downward trajectory that has been recorded since the millennium,' Mr O'Keeffe said. ADVERTISEMENT 'In contrast to the negative stereotypes that once existed, alcohol consumption in Ireland is now at average European levels, with the purchase of non-alcoholic drinks continuing to increase. 'This downward trend also raises the obvious question as to why Ireland continues to have the second highest excise rates on alcohol in Europe. 'Given that we now consume alcohol at average European levels, it makes sense that we should pay excise at average European levels also. 'This is particularly true following the introduction of minimum unit pricing, which prevents the sale of strong alcohol at low prices in supermarkets and shops. 'Across Ireland, hundreds of small rural pubs and restaurants are struggling for survival due to repeated increases in the cost of doing businesses, including staff, energy and insurance. 'Digi will be seeking a 10pc cut in excise in this year's Budget as an urgent measure to give these businesses a fighting chance of survival.'
Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Caitríona Redmond: Is your membership worth it? — how to be subscription savvy and save money
From gym and cinema memberships, and even a newspaper subscription, many businesses rely on payments made on recurring basis, but how can you tell if they offer value for money or stealthily drain your bank account? For the business, a subscription model can improve cash flow on a monthly or annual basis, it's a chance to connect with their customers regularly, and build brand loyalty. After all, if you sign up for a gym in the Mallow Rd area, you're unlikely to want to also pay for and frequent another gym in Maryborough. For consumers, signing up for a subscription can save money. Take a movie pass for example. Most cinema chains in Ireland charge €14.99-€20 per person per month which allows the passholder to visit the cinema frequently during a calendar month. Considering the cost of a cinema ticket begins at €7 per adult, a passholder that visits more than three times a month will save money compared to buying tickets each time. That said, several cinema chains charge a monthly subscription fee that is mired in additional charges for booking a new release and reserving seats. The seats available without a fee tend to be the cheap front-of-house seats and make for an uncomfortable watching experience. It's a Ryanair-style model of making cross-selling that is designed to bring in more revenue for the businesses but also increases the overall cost of a subscription for the consumer. Ultimately, a movie fan who likes to sit at the back of the cinema may not save money on a monthly membership due to the additional charges. Dropping in and out of memberships or subscriptions can save you money. Where a TV streaming service launches a new series, wait until all the episodes have been published before signing up. If you can binge on the series within a month, lapse the subscription again until you see something else that you like. There are plenty of free TV services available, even digitally, and these include the much-maligned RTÉ player, Channel 4 (yes it's free and available in Ireland), Virgin Media Player, and you can also rent movies and listen to music for free thanks to a library card. Considering the big screen experience can often be coupled with popcorn and drinks, that monthly subscription could be costing you more than you think. If you enjoy new movie releases but not the high cost, consider renting that film online and enjoying some homemade popcorn, a comfy sofa to enjoy the movie from, sharing the movie with your family, and the ability to press pause if you need to. Renting a recent release from Sky Cinema, for example, costs €15.99. I'd easily spend four times that cost if I took my family of four to the cinema. This represents a significant saving on my part. There's one annual subscription I pay without hesitation. Every January my allotment fees fall due, costing €210 per year for 200sq m of land that I rent from my local authority. To me, this fee is an absolute bargain considering the hours of pure enjoyment and the food I grow in 'my happy place'. My plot is just over a mile away from my house, but I previously rented an allotment four miles away and I didn't frequent it as much. When choosing an in-person subscription factor in your time and distance before signing up. A yoga class membership, for example, might sound amazing but if you live 20 minutes' drive away it will require more effort and cost fuel to take part regularly. Look for a similar class closer to home to save money overall and increase your likelihood of getting the benefit from the subscription. That cinema membership may be well worth the money during the summer when the big screen is a 30-minute stroll, but in winter that 30-minute stroll could become a slog in bad weather. You won't be surprised to learn that I have several online newspaper subscriptions. If I did buy the physical papers, I'd not only be filling my recycling bin with quite the weight every week, but I'd also be spending more than my food budget. Instead, I sign up for digital subscriptions and yes, I absolutely read them all daily, although I confess that I may skip over the sports pages a little. Those who pay for a subscription, but don't use it, are the subscribers who benefit a business most. This is fantastic for the company, but not so good for subscribers' bank accounts. I can guarantee you that this money could be put to good use elsewhere. When signing up for a service, consider using a bank card or account that tracks your subscription costs. This makes it simple to see what your monthly charges are, plus it's easier to make sure that your membership has been cancelled both by your payment provider, and the service you originally signed up to. I find both PayPal and Revolut excellent in this regard, and I particularly like the pop-up reminders that a monthly payment is due. Being more subscription savvy will save you money. Read More Caitríona Redmond: Teaching kids to put money into savings after a season of holy sacraments
