A chairde,
Tá an-áthas orm a bheith anseo libh inniu chun an dara sraith den dráma teilifíse Aifric a sheoladh.
Mar is eol daoibh, d’éirigh go hiontach leis an chéad sraith. Go deimhin, bhuaigh sé duaiseanna agus gradaim go leor sa chéad séasúr.
Táim cinnte go n-éireoidh chomh maith céanna - nó níos fearr – leis an dara sraith seo.
Is ábhar bróid agus mórtais dom agus dúinn ar fad gur féidir dráma ard-chaighdeán den chineál seo a léiriú agus a chur mar chroí agus mar sheod lárnach i gclár sceideal teilifíse do pháistí sa lá atá inniu ann..
Faoi mar is eol daoibh freisin, is bliain stairiúil í seo do TG4. Bunaíodh an cainéal mar chraoltóir neamhspleáh reachtúil i dtús mhí Aibreáin seo caite.
Gan aon amhras is céim thábhachtach í seo i bhforbairt na seirbhíse, rud a tharla cúpla mí tar éis an cheiliúrtha ar dheich mbliana TG4.
Táim cinnte go bhfuil clocha míle go leor eile amach romhaibh sna blianta seo chugainn. Guím gach rath ar an gCeannasaí agus ar a fhoireann ina gcuid oibre.
Tá suim ar leith agam féin i bhforbairt na Gaeilge agus an chultúir Ghaelaigh.
Is géire ná riamh an tábhacht a bhaineann le caomhnú agus le neartú ár bhféiniúlacht mar náisiún.
Tá agus beidh ról lárnach ag TG4 sa dúshlán sin.
Sa gcomhthéacs seo, is cúis áthais ar leith dom an tsuim a léiríodh ins an chéad séasúr ag Aifric ar an Idirlíon, go háirithe ón Ríocht Aontaithe agus ó Mheiriceá.
You can be assured that, in my period as Minister, the ongoing development of TG4 is something that I will be personally very interested in and supportive of. This commitment is set out in our ‘Programme for Government’ and I fully intend to deliver on this commitment.
Since its inception, TG4 has been renowned for its innovative and quality broadcasting. I am glad to see this tradition is continuing with Aifric. Like TG4 itself – Aifric is young, exciting, modern and attractive yet totally inclusive, unique and true to life. The series connects in a unique way with an audience segment that is strategically crucial for the entire TG4 project.
It is clear from the wide range of audience and overwhelmingly positive critical response to it that Aifric is a huge success. I see where it had an average share of 5% with all kids last year and this made it the most viewed programme in TG4’s teenage slot.
Two programmes in the series, in fact, reached a 20% share.
Quality Television Drama is vitally important for the development of our independent production sector, particularly Irish drama. Series one entailed a total spend of almost €2 million in the local area. This is a massive boost for audio visual production and post-production in the Connemara Gaeltacht.
Everything about the project must be of high-quality and glossy.
Great praise is due to the production company Telegael, an internationally renowned centre of excellence and to producer Micheál Ó Domhnaill for bringing us this great drama series.
It would be impossible for TG4 to fund a project of this duration and specification from its own resources. The support of the BCI’s Sound & Vision scheme was absolutely vital for the project. Without it, this series would not have been made.
It is a great tribute to the Gaeltacht-based production sector that this huge production could be scripted, shot, and post produced in a modern facility in the heart of the Connemara Gaeltacht to a specification that had it winning significant ratings from the outset and a major IFTA award in its first season. The new series was produced by a production crew of seventy with a cast of over one hundred people. A massive undertaking indeed.
In an age of globalization and fragmented markets, a popular series like this can work wonders for the Irish language – particularly among young people.
Free to air, universally available public service broadcasters are not a luxury. They are an essential component of our society and TG4, in commissioning a series like this, makes the case for Public Service Broadcasting very eloquently indeed.
Ar deireadh, guím gach rath ar gach éinne atá páirteach leis an dara sraith seo d’Aifric - TG4 féin, an comhlacht léiriúcháin Telegael a rinne sár-job ar fad, na haisteoirí óga (agus beagán níos sine) agus an fhoireann ar fad.
Guím gach rath ar Chlíona agus ar na réalta óga eile ar fad – go háirithe iad sin a bhfuil scrúdaithe ar bun acu i mbliana.
Is le háthas agus le bród mar sin a sheolaim an dara sraith seo d’Aifric. Bígí ag féachaint air agus bainigí sult as ! Go raibh míle maith agaibh.
Ends