Presentation to the Joint Committee on Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation
Potential for job creation, innovation & balanced economic development in the creative
economy
21st April 2015
Introduction to TG4
Is craoltóir náisiúnta seirbhíse poiblí é TG4. Tá ár gcláracha le feiceáíl ar fud na tíre agus ar fud an
domhain ar Sheinnteoir TG4. Tá muid lonnaithe i mBaile na hAbhann in Gaeltacht na Gaillimhe.
TG4 was established in 1996 as a public service broadcasting initiative to promote the Irish language
and culture, to raise the profile of the language as part of the Government’s wish to create a
bilingual society and normalise its use.
TG4 operates as a publisher/broadcaster - we source most of our Irish language programmes from
Ireland's independent production sector. Through this, and through all of the other services we buy
from the Irish creative sector (such as marketing, digitisation, software and hardware, music etc.),
we have a significant impact on jobs in the Irish economy, on innovation levels and on Ireland's
economic development. TG4 has commissioned Irish language content from over 100 independent
production companies in Ireland. Most of these are small to medium sized enterprises. We have
particularly focused on sourcing content from companies which operate through the Irish language
and many of these are located in Gaeltacht and regional areas, thus bringing significant social and
cultural benefits to these rural communities with the high-skill employment they sustain.
TG4 is committed to investment in high quality original Irish language content produced by the
independent production sector in Ireland - we spend over 90% of our programme budget with the
sector annually. In 2014, we purchased €22m worth of Irish language programmes and services from
the sector and a priority of our strategy is to grow this spend in future years.
TG4 also places an emphasis on nurturing talent in the Irish language creative economy through our
development programmes which support first-time producers, directors and writers in the Irish
language. This is done through initiatives such as provision of training courses for Irish language
producers, writers and directors and support for media courses in universities and institutes of
technology etc.
TG4’s impact on the Creative Sector in Ireland.
IBEC's Audiovisual Federation research on the Irish film and television industry shows that over 300
highly skilled and creative full-time jobs in the film & TV production sector are directly sustained by
TG4 commissions on an annual basis.
TG4's Irish language soap, “Ros na Rún”, now in its 20th year of production, creates a significant level
of direct employment and contracted personnel in the local economy.
Through our work with the independent production sector in Ireland, TG4 also helps to develop the
capabilities of the companies and individual talent with whom we work. By investing in skills and
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training, services and technology systems and approaches, and by working to defined standards, the
capabilities of the production and creative sector in Ireland are continually enhanced.
We also help to raise finance for the independent production sector through working with it to help
it secure Sound & Vision funding from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, funding from the Irish
Language Broadcast fund and European Media Programme in addition to helping them work with
international co-production partners such as major European broadcasters.
TG4’s Impact on the Irish Economy.
The effect of TG4's expenditure every year extends beyond the first round of our purchases (such as
content or marketing services) as additional economic value is created further down the supply
chain and in other markets. Thus the effect of TG4's spending is "multiplied" as it trickles down
through the economy.
The multiplier effect of TG4's expenditure (direct and indirect) in terms of contribution to Ireland's
national earnings was c.€74m in 2014 with an employment impact of 1,150 jobs (including
production sector jobs).
This reflects the level of TG4 expenditure in Ireland on indigenous programming and creative
services rather than on purchasing these from international markets.
For every €1 invested by TG4 in the creative industries in Ireland, it was worth over €2 to the
economy of Ireland in 2014.
The potential for job creation, innovation and economic development in the creative economy.
The creative industries combine conventional cultural industries (e.g. film and television, publishing,
advertising etc.) with digital media, software and technology sectors. Much is based on intellectual
property and the fast changing nature of the creative economy generates many opportunities. If the
global creative economy was a country, it would be equivalent to being the fourth largest economy
in the world, and it would have the fourth largest labour force with 144m workers1. Research from
Nesta2 (UK innovation charity) also shows that the creative industries rely much less on imports than
manufacturing sectors.
The commissioning of programmes from the independent production sector and services we source
from other sectors will continue to support a vibrant and creative production sector in Ireland and in
Gaeltacht and other regional areas outside Dublin in particular.
Looking ahead for TG4, we are seeking to grow our contribution to jobs, innovation and economic
development in Ireland's creative economy:

We aim to maximise the share of our public funding which we spend on Irish language content.

We aim to continue to spend most of our programming budget with the independent production
sector rather than purchasing content from international markets. This will provide investment
in Ireland's creative sector and jobs.

TG4 is establishing a digital Irish language Archive. We will source systems, digitisation, archiving
and other Irish language creative services as part of this important project. Since the beginning
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2
The Orange Economy, 2013, Inter-American Development Bank.
How linked are the UK’s creative industries to the wider economy?
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of 2015, with the assistance of grant-aid from the BAI, TG4 has already indirectly employed 5
people with language and IT skills, to archive and catalogue our Irish Language content.

These activities and many others, will continue to sustain jobs and support the development of
additional jobs, drive innovation and growth in Ireland's creative economy. Our funding must be
sustained to enable us continue to make this valuable contribution.
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