New Unscripted Production Tax Credit a boost for projects in Limerick and the Mid West

New unscripted production tax relief a boost for projects in Limerick and the Mid West. in 2025 Bigger Stage Productions and Apploff Entertainment announced they were bringing prime time US smash hit ‘Don’t Forget the Lyrics’ to Limerick

Film in Limerick has welcomed the announcement of a new tax relief for theunscripted production sector, the first tax credit in Europe dedicated solely to unscripted programming

Film in Limerick, the film office for the Mid-West of Ireland, welcomes the launch of a new tax relief for the unscripted production sector announced by the Government on January 4.

The relief will take the form of a corporation tax credit for expenditure incurred on the development of unscripted programmes and will be available at a rate of 20% of certain production expenditure up to a maximum limit of €15 million per project.

The tax credit has been approved by the European Commission to run until 31 December 2028.

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This novel incentive, the first tax credit in Europe dedicated solely to unscripted programming, is designed to support the expression of Irish and European culture in the fast-growing unscripted sector and to grow Ireland’s audio-visual industry by attracting international investment as well as encouraging increased activity in the domestic space.

The relief is a cultural one, therefore a cultural test will also apply. In order to claim the credit, a company must first apply to the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for interim cultural certification in advance of undertaking production on a qualifying unscripted programme. This certificate ensures that the production is genuinely seeking to promote Irish and European culture.

Paul C Ryan, Regional Film Manager at Film in Limerick, welcomed the news, telling I Love Limerick, “The Mid-West has seen massive growth in scripted film production in recent years, with TV shows such as Foundation and The Wayfinders filming throughout the region, as well as feature films like The Pope’s Exorcist and Double Blind. Now, with the introduction of a new incentive to boost unscripted production, we look forward to working with producers to bring even more projects to the region and to maximise opportunities for locally based crew.”

Ryan added, “There are many factors working in our favour to attract more unscripted production to the region. We have world-class facilities at Troy Studios, an expanding crew base – skilled in both scripted and unscripted work, film-friendly local authorities, and a strong reputation for delivering results for inward productions. The Mid-West is open for business and ready to welcome new shows.”

In December 2025, Film in Limerick announced with increased demand anticipated for factual, entertainment and reality formats, the Mid-West is preparing for one of its busiest years in unscripted production.

Film in Limerick is now inviting both experienced crew, including those who have primarily worked in scripted drama – and new entrants looking to begin their careers in the screen industry, to register for its newly launched Unscripted Crew Database.

In announcing the support, Tánaiste Simon Harris said the tax credit “will provide certainty and support for a rapidly growing part of our audiovisual sector”.

He added, “Ireland has a brilliant reputation internationally as being a centre of excellence for film television and audio production. The introduction of this measure represents a further strengthening of Ireland’s tax incentives for the audiovisual sector, reinforcing the Government’s long-standing commitment to supporting screen production and Irish creative industries.

Minister Patrick O’Donovan said, “Unscripted programming is one of the most dynamic and internationally successful parts of the global audio-visual industry, and Ireland has the talent, creativity and production expertise to lead in this space.

This new tax credit is about backing Irish storytellers, producers and crews, while ensuring that Irish and European culture is clearly reflected on screens at home and around the world. By being the first in Europe to introduce a dedicated incentive for unscripted production, we are sending a strong signal that Ireland is open, competitive and ambitious when it comes to creative investment and cultural expression.”