The anticipated move by Ardmore Studios to establish a major new film production facility in Limerick moved significantly closer yesterday with the purchase by Limerick City and County Council of the former Dell manufacturing plant in the city for close to €6m

It is now expected that the 350,000 sq ft premises will soon be leased to Ardmore Studios to establish a new film base in the mid-west. The former Dell plant is more than twice the size of Ardmore’s existing facility in Bray, Co. Wicklow.

It’s estimated the new facility could create more than 700 jobs in the longer term.

A formal deal between Ardmore and Limerick Council is expected in the coming days, with both sides eager to finalise. 

it is hoped the investment will attract major Hollywood attention. A number of production executives behind The Dark Knight recently visited the area, location scouting for the Inversion, a new €10m science fiction film.

Speaking to the Independent, a spokesperson for Finance Minister Michael Noonan said there would be new tax reliefs in next years budget to encourage foreign investment in the sector:

"The Minister is fully supportive of the project and is delighted to see it up and running. To show support [for the film industry] he brought in a tax incentive in Budget 2015 and is now looking to expand the tax relief in Budget 2016 with a view to improving the scheme."