30/06/2009

What is Section 481?
Section 481 is a tax incentive for film and television made in Ireland.

What type of projects qualify?
The incentive applies to Feature Films, Creative Documentaries, Television Drama and Animation. The incentive does not apply to Commercils, Reality TV, Game Shows and Soaps.

How much is the Section 481 benefit worth? Projects can derive a benefit of up to 28% of their qualifying expenditure.

What constitutes qualifying expenditure?
The benefit is based on the cost of EU cast and crew working in Ireland, and goods and services purchased in Ireland, up to a maximum value of 80% of the global budget.

Is there a cap on the amount of Section 481 that can be raised?
Yes, there is a ceiling of €50m on qualifying expenditure per project.

When is it paid?
The Section 481 net benefit is made available to the production on the first day of principal photography or on the financial closing of the film. The incentive is guaranteed until 2012.

Explain how it works from the foreign producer point of view?
The foreign producer must team up with a local Irish co-producer. The Irish co-producer applies to the Irish Revenue Commissioners for a Section 481 certificate. The issuance of this certificate allows the Section 481 finance to be raised.

The certificate will stipulate various conditions such as: the maximum amount of Section 481 finance which can be raised, the identity of crew, the number of trainees, etc. the irish co-producer is responsible for compliance with all the conditions of the certificate.

The irish producer provides the full range of production services including locations scouting, scheduling, budgeting, casting, crewing and takes full responsibility for all production services carried out in the State throughout the life-span of the production.

For more information visit: Irish Film Board.