RTE criticised over funding for Oscar-nominated animated film

RTÉ has been severely criticised as the "main stumbling block" to the development of animation in the State by one of the producers of the Oscar-nominated short Give Up Yer Aul Sins.

Mr Darragh O'Connell, of Brown Bag Films, the production company behind the five-minute cartoon, said he and his colleague, Mr Cathal Gaffney, had unsuccessfully sought support from the national broadcaster for a 30-minute version of the cartoon for the past year.

The cartoon is based on recordings, made in the 1950s at a Dublin national school, of children telling Bible stories.

"We have been getting absolutely no response from RTÉ," said Mr O'Connell. "We have a lot of money in place. The Irish Film Board is on board, EMI [which published the CD recording of the original tapes] has given its blessing, but RTÉ keeps playing the poor mouth, saying they don't have any money.

"But €130,000 is a speck in RTÉ's budget, and for what they'd get back in terms of selling it abroad. I mean people all over the world are going mad for it [the five-minute version]. Our national broadcaster, and it just won't support animation. RTÉ has been the main stumbling block," he said. RTÉ did support the original five-minute short and broadcast it on Christmas Day.

Mr Billy McGrath, Head of the Entertainment Department at RTÉ, explained that there was no animation commissioning procedure or editor at the station. He is meeting Brown Bag tomorrow to discuss the possibility of funding for a 30-minute Give Up Yer Aul Sins.

Brown Bag needs another €130,000, said Mr O'Connell, to complete the project.