Taoiseach to meet Spielberg in Los Angeles

Enda Kenny will brief director on incentives available for filming in Ireland

Film director Steven Spielberg at the Irish Premier of Lincoln in Dublin in January. The director will meet Enda Kenny in Los Angeles today to discuss the possibility of using Ireland as a location for movie production.  Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times
Film director Steven Spielberg at the Irish Premier of Lincoln in Dublin in January. The director will meet Enda Kenny in Los Angeles today to discuss the possibility of using Ireland as a location for movie production. Photograph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times

Taoiseach Enda Kenny plans to meet with film director Steven Spielberg in Los Angeles later today as part of a trade mission aimed at boosting the film industry at home.

Officials said Mr Kenny plans to discuss the the possibility of using Ireland as a location for movie production and will brief the director on various film incentives available.

Mr Kenny met Mr Spielberg earlier this year in Government Buildings, when the director was in Dublin for the premiere of 'Lincoln'.

"The Taoiseach was happy to take up Mr Spielberg's offer to meet with him when they met earlier this year," a spokesman for the Taoiseach said. "We;ve becoming much more competitive in terms of staffing costs in recent years and he is keen to further discussions in this area."

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They are due to meet at the headquarters of Amblin Entertainment, a film and television company Mr Spielberg co-founded, in Los Angeles this evening.

Carl O'Brien

Carl O'Brien

Carl O'Brien is Education Editor of The Irish Times. He was previously chief reporter and social affairs correspondent