Screen Ireland

What Screen Ireland does

Screen Ireland (Fís Éireann) is Ireland's statutory national development agency for the film, television, animation, and documentary industries, established in 1993 as the Irish Film Board and rebranded in 2015 to reflect its expanded audiovisual mandate. The agency is wholly owned by the Government of Ireland and operates under a public funding model, allocating investment loans and grants rather than generating commercial revenue; funding flows from annual government allocations and EU Creative Europe programs, with the agency governed by a Board appointed by the Minister for Arts, Culture, and the Gaeltacht.

Its core service offerings are organized around four pillars: Development Support, Production Support, Distribution & Publicity, and Skills Development. These are delivered alongside digital infrastructure including the Shorts Player streaming platform, the 'Where to Watch Ireland' discovery service, a filming Locations Database, and the Screen Crew & Services Directory. Skills programs include the Animation, VFX & Games Graduate Traineeship, the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Producing, and masterclasses with industry figures such as cinematographer Robbie Ryan. The 2026 Production Slate features 87 projects across film, television, animation, and documentary.

Screen Ireland serves Irish writers, directors, production companies, and emerging filmmakers, with named partners spanning Element Pictures, Playground, Troy Studios, BiggerStage, Hot Property Films, Cowtown Pictures, Northern Ireland Screen, and international distributors including Banijay Rights, Cohen Media Group, and Fremantle. Distribution channels blend direct-to-audience platforms (Shorts Player, Where to Watch) with channel partners at international festivals and markets (Series Mania, Berlinale, Galway Film Fleadh, Cinemagic Los Angeles). The agency does not develop proprietary technology products and has no AI/ML capabilities; its technical estate consists of operational web platforms and accessibility-compliant public-sector digital properties. The Fís Athnuaite Strategic Plan 2025-2029 provides the current multi-year framework, with the 2025 expansion into game development via the Digital Game Portfolio signaling modest mandate broadening.

Name

Screen Ireland

Legal name

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland

Website

https://screenireland.ie

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Screen Ireland (Fís Éireann) is Ireland's national development agency providing investment loans, skills programs, and distribution support for film, television, animation, and documentary, serving writers, directors, production companies, and emerging filmmakers under a government mandate.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Screen Industry Development Funding

NAICS

Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Public Administration (92), Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Broadcasting Grants & Government Funding Administration (MPABADAM)

Keywords

• Film production funding
• Screen industry development
• Television production financing
• Animation industry support
• Irish film funding

Headquarters

HQ city

Galway

HQ country

Ireland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding Allocation: As Ireland's national development agency, Screen Ireland operates as a non-commercial government body that allocates public funding to support the Irish screen industry. They provide investment loans for development, production, and distribution rather than generating commercial revenue.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Screen Ireland (Fís Éireann) is Ireland's national development agency that provides investment loans for the development, production, and distribution of film, television, animation, and short-form content. It also operates digital platforms (Shorts Player, Locations Database, Screen Crew & Services Database, Where to Watch) and delivers skills development programs including graduate traineeships, masterclasses, and postgraduate diplomas for the Irish screen sector.

Product overview

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is the national development agency for the Irish film, television, and animation industry. The organization operates as a unified platform providing funding services (Development Support, Production Support, Distribution & Publicity), digital platforms (Shorts Player for streaming short films, Locations Database, Where to Watch directory, Screen Crew & Services Database), skills development programs (animation/VFX/games traineeships, IFTA masterclasses, postgraduate producing diploma), and annual events including the Production Catalogue showcasing slate projects. The Shorts Player is a dedicated streaming platform for Irish short films across animation, documentary, drama, and comedy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Screen Ireland Shorts Player: Online platform for discovering Irish short films and short filmmakers across animation, documentary, drama, and comedy.
• Fís Athnuaite

Products and services

• Development Support

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hot Property FilmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Film production company that produced 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' with financing from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. The jazz biopic won the Silver Bear at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival.
• Cowtown PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Production company co-producing 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' with Hot Property Films and financing from Screen Ireland.
• Over the Fence FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Production company involved in financing 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans'.
• Finite FilmsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Production company involved in financing 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans'.
• Shoni Prods.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Production company involved in financing 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans'.
• OnSightminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 May 2026Production company involved in financing 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans'.
• Northern Ireland ScreencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2026Government body supporting film and TV production in Northern Ireland. Partnered with Screen Ireland to support Channel 4 drama 'Close to Home' filming in Belfast.
• Troy StudioscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Limerick-based production studio hosting large-scale unscripted TV productions through partnership with BiggerStage and Screen Ireland. The deal is credited as a catalyst for Limerick's growing reputation as a production hub.
• BiggerStagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Production company partnering with Troy Studios and Screen Ireland for large-scale unscripted television productions, with pilot projects expected in 2026.
• ÁrdancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 14 April 2025Managing €500,000 in Screen Ireland funding for Irish game development through the Digital Game Portfolio initiative, including €15,000 grants for small teams.
• ImirtcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 14 April 2025Managing €500,000 in Screen Ireland funding for Irish game development. Also hosts the FÍS Games Summit and Irish Game Awards.
• Omniplex Cinema GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2025Partner for Ireland's Young Filmmaker of the Year Awards, hosting the Fresh International Film Festival.
• Element PicturescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning Irish production company (behind 'The Banshees of Inisherin') producing multiple projects with Screen Ireland support. Host of Storyhouse Festival screenwriting event.
• PlaygroundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning production company behind 'All Creatures Great and Small', 'Wolf Hall', 'Howards End'. Produced 'The Hardacres' in association with Screen Ireland.
• Red Berry ProductionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced 'The Hardacres' with Playground and Newgrange Pictures in association with Screen Ireland.
• Newgrange PicturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced 'The Hardacres' with Playground and Red Berry Productions in association with Screen Ireland.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Telefilm Canada: Federal cultural agency of Canada funding feature films, television, web series, and digital media with a mandate to develop the Canadian screen industry. Closely mirrors Screen Ireland's role as a national development agency administering public funds across the screen value chain.
• British Film Institute (BFI): The UK's national body for film, television, and the moving image, distributing National Lottery funding for development, production, and distribution. Closest geographic and structural peer to Screen Ireland as a government-backed film agency serving a national industry.
• CNC (Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée): France's national film and audiovisual center, administering tax credits, automatic and selective funding, and industry regulation. Direct structural peer to Screen Ireland given its comprehensive national development remit across film, TV, and animation.
• Northern Ireland Screen: Statutory body funding film, television, and digital content production in Northern Ireland. Direct peer and active co-funding partner (e.g., 'Close to Home' on Channel 4) operating an all-island mandate with Screen Ireland.
• Screen Australia: Australian Government's peak funding body for film, television, and digital content, providing development, production, and distribution support. Highly comparable in mandate, structure, and product portfolio to Screen Ireland.
• ICAA (Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales): Spain's national film institute under the Ministry of Culture, providing subsidies and tax incentives for film production and distribution. Direct peer as a public administration entity supporting the Spanish screen industry through grants and selective funding.
• Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA): German Federal Film Board that administers the German film fund (Filmförderabgabe) and provides selective production and distribution funding. Comparable in role as a federally mandated agency distributing obligatory industry levies and public funding into film production.

Regional players

• Ffilm Cymru Wales: Wales's development agency for film and television, funded by the Welsh Government and the BFI. Comparable in scale and function but serves a distinct sub-national market alongside Screen Ireland's national remit.
• Screen Scotland: Scotland's national agency for film and TV development, part of the Scottish Government's culture strategy. Operates in a closely related but distinct jurisdiction, with co-funding relationships through UK-wide mechanisms and paralleling Screen Ireland's national mandate.

Others

• Creative Europe Desk Ireland: EU-funded information office supporting Irish participation in the Creative Europe MEDIA programme. Adjacent enabler that complements Screen Ireland by providing access to pan-European co-production funding, distribution guarantees, and audience development grants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCjA_Bw5K5Q_4rY33vT6V_3g
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/screen-ireland
• Xx.com/screenireland

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Screen Ireland