Irish Screen Industry Reaches All-Time High with €544 Million Economic Contribution and Ambitious 2026 Slate
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ireland’s film, television, and animation industries are experiencing unprecedented growth, with a record-breaking €544 million contribution to the Irish economy in 2025. This surge in production value, a 26% increase from 2024, was unveiled today at the launch of screen Ireland‘s 2026 Production Slate. The event highlighted a “Golden Age for Irish Storytelling.”
The launch event brought together leading professionals from across the Irish screen sector, following a period of notable international recognition for Irish productions. Recent successes like Hamnet and Saipan have garnered critical acclaim both domestically and abroad,bolstering Ireland’s reputation as a hub for high-quality storytelling. Screen Ireland, also known as Fís Éireann, is the national advancement agency responsible for fostering this growth.
“We are launching Screen ireland’s 2026 Production slate, with 87 projects across feature film, television, animation, documentary and short film,” stated a senior official, adding that the slate “showcases a diverse range of bold, creative and original stories produced by world-class filmmakers and creative talent.”
2026 Production Highlights
The 2026 slate is remarkably diverse, encompassing 22 feature films, 17 documentaries, 13 TV dramas and animated series, and over 30 short films. Several high-profile projects are already generating significant buzz.
Among the most anticipated is Power Ballad, the latest offering from acclaimed director John Carney (Once, Sing Street).The music-driven film will star Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.
The slate also includes The lost Children of Tuam, a dramatization of Catherine Corless’s tireless campaign to uncover the truth surrounding the Tuam mother-and-baby home. This project promises to be a powerful and emotionally resonant exploration of a dark chapter in Irish history.
Documentary projects also feature prominently, including The Slightest Touch, which poignantly examines the friendship between actor Colin Farrell and Emma Fogarty, who lives with epidermolysis bullosa (EB).
further adding to the diverse lineup, Danny Dyer stars in the new film One Last Deal, which was filmed on location in Dublin.
International Productions Fuel Growth
Ireland is increasingly attracting major international productions, drawn by its skilled workforce, stunning locations, and competitive tax incentives. netflix’s action thriller Mercenary: An Extraction Series, filmed in Ireland last year, is among the highlighted projects. Notably, the series Wednesday, produced by MGM Amazon for Netflix, represents the largest production ever filmed in Ireland in recent years.
A Decade of Investment in Television
Screen Ireland’s commitment to the television sector is yielding substantial results. Over the past ten years, the agency has invested €29.5 million in television drama, contributing to a sustained period of growth. According to a company release, this growth has continued “despite challenging industry conditions internationally,” driven by increased inward investment, strong domestic production, and improvements to tax incentives.
“Despite challenging industry conditions internationally,” the Chair of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Ray Harman, noted that production figures in Ireland are at an “all-time high,” and the positive impact of that is being “felt by people working in the industry and beyond.”
The success of the Irish screen industry is not merely an economic story; it is indeed a testament to the creativity, resilience, and talent of Irish filmmakers and storytellers. the 2026 slate promises to deliver a wealth of compelling content to audiences worldwide, further solidifying Ireland’s position as a global leader in film, television, and animation.
