Name of Irish Film Board changed to keep up with ‘digital revolution’

Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan confirms switch to Fís Éireann or Screen Ireland

Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire

The name of the Irish Film Board has been formally changed to keep up with the "digital revolution" in film and TV, Minister for Culture Josepha Madigan has confirmed.

Ms Madigan asked the Cabinet to approve the change to Fís Éireann Screen Ireland which in Irish had been called Bord Scannán na hÉireann.

It assists the making of films and the development of the film industry in Ireland and this year has a budget of €18 million, an increase of €1.55 million from 2017.

The new name has sparked confusion among Irish language speakers.

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Fianna Fáil gaeltacht spokesman Éamon Ó Cuív has questioned why the Irish and English versions of the name are “totally different”. Mr Ó Cuív said “the word ‘fís’ means vision, while the Irish for the word ‘screen’ is scáileán”.

Labour arts spokeswoman Joan Burton wondered about the name change because "the word 'fís' has a very particular meaning in Irish relating to a vision".

Ms Madigan said: “A digital revolution is taking place around the world and the word ‘fís’ encompasses it more than the word ‘scáileán’ would.”

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran

Marie O'Halloran is Parliamentary Correspondent of The Irish Times