Fianna Fáil TD for Wicklow Pat Casey made the call after it was revealed that the prospectus for the sale places a heavy emphasis on its development potential for property developers.
Deputy Casey said: "It was announced last October that the studio was to be sold as a 'going concern'. The decision to sell was met with widespread disbelief as the studio has been busy in recent years and looked to have a bright future. The Government, through Enterprise Ireland, has a 32% shareholding in Ardmore Studios and we have been told repeatedly over the years that the Government being a partner in the facility was a vital part of encouraging and reassuring overseas investors.
-- Advertisement --
"The decision to sell the country's stake has therefore been a source of major concern for me since it was first announced. Ardmore Studios occupies an 18 acre site and I have long suspected that the real reason for the sale is to release the short term value of the site as a potential residential property development. For this reason I have consistently sought access to the prospectus and marketing material being used in connection with the facility. "However, the Government has kept this material secret despite the fact that the Irish people have a shareholding in the studio.
"However, my fears have now been confirmed as it has been revealed that the Prospectus for the sale does indeed place a heavy emphasis on the private residential development potential of the site. It is now clear that the national strategic interest in the film industry is not represented by this sale, and the secrecy surrounding the whole process is highly suspect."
(CD/MH)
