The Specialist Factual brief covers any content for linear or on-line that deals with History, Natural History, Wildlife, Environment, Science, Education, Diversity and, on occasion, one-off docs about sport and music.

Duration:                             50 minutes
Budget Range:                   €100,000-€130,000 per hour (If fully funded by RTÉ)
Broadcast:                          TBC
Channel:                             RTÉ One & RTÉ2

Duration:                             25 minutes (number of programmes typically 6 to 8)
Budget Range:                   €90,000-€120,000 per hour (If fully funded by RTÉ)
Broadcast:                          TBC
Channel:                              RTÉ One & RTÉ2

RTÉ has a rich history of producing exceptional content in this area. Recent notable projects include The Island (New Decade), Ireland’s Wild Islands (Crossing the Line Films), and North Atlantic (Sea Fever Productions). These ambitious, long-term projects are shot over extended periods and aim for international reach. We will continue to prioritize proposals that explore Ireland’s unique physical landscape, both above and below ground.

Upcoming projects include Wild Connemara (Crossing the Line Films), a multi-part series set in the West of Ireland, and another multi-part series in County Kerry from the producer of The Burren: Heart of Stone (Silver Branch Films). Additionally, a long-term series will examine the evolution of life in rural Ireland. These high-end, multi-funded projects are designed to appeal to international audiences.

Our Natural History content can be scheduled on Sundays, either before or after the watershed, and on weekdays before the watershed. These can be half-hour segments or, when suitable, one-off hour-long specials. An example is Shane Brennan’s film Shackleton’s Cabin (Moondance), which highlights the work of Sven Habermann. We are particularly interested in pre-watershed series that integrate various disciplines such as social history, geography, heritage, and architectural science.

We will continue to support innovative perspectives and formats, including ambitious live events that attract family audiences and projects that encourage mass viewer participation.

Producers are invited to submit their ideas through the RTÉ eCommissioning system under the category Factual Specialist “Natural History & Wildlife”.

Duration:                             50 minutes
Budget Range:                   €100,000-€130,000 per hour (If fully funded by RTÉ)
Broadcast:                          TBC
Channel:                             RTÉ One & RTÉ2

Duration:                             25 minutes (number of programmes typically 6 to 8)
Budget Range:                   €90,000-€120,000 per hour (If fully funded by RTÉ)
Broadcast:                          TBC
Channel:                              RTÉ One & RTÉ2

RTÉ has significantly expanded its history programming during the Decade of Centenaries, enhancing both the volume and the diversity of its content. We aim to continue broadening our approach to interpreting and narrating Ireland’s history.

Treaty ‘21 (Loose Horse Productions) explored the creation of Northern Ireland in 1921/1922 through a mix of drama, studio analysis, and online content. An Old Song Re-Sung (South Wind Blows) celebrated Ireland’s accession to the League of Nations with a live concert at Dublin’s RDS, featuring music, poetry, dance, spoken word, and song.

Our focus will now shift to more recent Irish history, specifically events post-1966. Examples include Calling Card, a film about musician Rory Gallagher by Brian Reddin, and an upcoming documentary on Lord Henry Mount Charles. Other projects will explore Irish businesses and industries since the 1980s.

We are particularly interested in proposals that can secure third-party or ancillary funding, especially those with academic partnerships. Special consideration will be given to ambitious projects that examine Ireland’s transformation over its relatively short history. Recent examples include The Silent Civil War (Scratch Films) and Cold Case Collins (Loose Horse).

We welcome new voices and fresh perspectives, both on and off camera. All proposals should be strong enough to broadcast on Mondays at 9:35 PM on RTÉ One but can also be scheduled as standalone event pieces.

Producers are invited to submit their ideas through the RTÉ eCommissioning system under the category Factual Specialist “History”.

Upcoming set-pieces on Michael Collins and the Irish Civil War will continue to innovate.

The slate also covers more recent Irish history. Broadstone Films’ ‘Sold: The Eircom Shares Saga’, the authored Vincent Hanley one-off, ‘Sex, Lies and Videotapes’ from Mind The Gap Films and Dearg Films’ ‘How Ireland Rocked the ‘70s’ are all examples of Specialist factual output aired over the last eighteen months whose narratives have been rooted in Ireland’s complicated social under-bellies.

More generally, proposals that can attract third-party and/or ancillary funding are of special interest. Particularly projects that have academic partnerships in place: editorial, financial or both.

Special consideration will now be given to ambitious, provocative strands about the transformation of Ireland over the course of its relatively short history. To this end, an upcoming two-parter about the history of Civil War politics in

Ireland is also about the changing face of Ireland and Irish society in the one hundred years since independence.

More generally, we are actively seeking bigger, event-based approaches to content and are also interested in new voices and fresh perspectives, both on camera and off.

All proposals should be strong enough to play on Mondays at 9.35 on RTÉ One but can also come into the schedule as self-standing event pieces.

We ask, in the first instance, that producers submit ideas into the eCommissioning system Login | RTE (rtegroup.ie) system under the programme category Factual Specialist “History”.

Duration:                             50 minutes
Budget Range:                   €100,000-€130,000 per hour (If fully funded by RTÉ)
Broadcast:                          TBC
Channel:                             RTÉ One & RTÉ2

Duration:                             25 minutes (number of programmes typically 6 to 8)
Budget Range:                   €90,000-€120,000 per hour (If fully funded by RTÉ)
Broadcast:                          TBC
Channel:                              RTÉ One & RTÉ2

RTÉ continues to support innovative and original content in the areas of science, climate, and education. Current projects include a second series of the climate and sustainability series Heated (indiepics) and the three-part documentary Rising Tides by Philip Boucher Hayes (Earth Horizon).

The slate will continue to support Science Week, co-funded with Science Foundation Ireland, featuring inventive strands like Hospital Live and Future Island. Future plans include a three-part series on the future of Irish towns and a multi-part series on addiction.

Recent projects include one-off documentaries like Gamechanger: AI and You (Animo) and Father of the Cyborgs (Dot TV), co-funded with Screen Ireland. The slate also featured films on the experiences of the Irish deaf and hard-of-hearing communities and a Coimisiún na Meán Sound & Vision funded documentary on dyslexia, Lost for Words (Subotica).

Proposals should include plans for digital additionality and dual-platform storytelling. RTÉ is open to strategic and funding partnerships, advertiser-funded programming, and completion funding. Projects that comply with the Coimisiún na Meán Sound and Vision scheme are particularly encouraged.

Producers are invited to submit their ideas through the RTÉ eCommissioning system under the category Factual Specialist “Science & Education”.

History of the Fund

In November 2016, RTÉ and ARTE G.E.I.E., the Strasbourg branch of the Franco-German public broadcaster ARTE, joined forces to develop and co-fund exceptional documentary projects, aiming to bring more Irish content to European audiences. Since then, ARTE G.E.I.E. and RTÉ have invested in a diverse range of Irish documentaries covering factual topics, current affairs, history, and the arts. The collaboration between ARTE commissioning editors and Irish production companies has flourished, creating numerous opportunities for Irish creative talent.

Practical Information

The fund operates on a rolling basis, with projects being developed and funded continuously. We seek standout single documentaries that have secured development or broadcast commitments from an RTÉ Commissioning Editor, which can then be pitched to ARTE’s specific documentary strands. Most documentaries for ARTE are 52 minutes long and do not include commercial breaks. The RTÉ version of the programme should be a 50 minute duration with two commercial breaks as agreed with the RTÉ Commissioning Editor.

RTÉ and ARTE welcome ideas from all genres, including Factual, Specialist Factual, Science and Natural Science, History, Archaeology and Human Endeavour, Current Affairs/Geopolitics, and Arts, Culture, and Music. We are particularly interested in compelling Irish stories with international appeal, whether they focus on ancient or contemporary history, arts, or society/current affairs. Ambitious factual, specialist factual, and arts documentaries that resonate with both Irish and European audiences are highly valued.

Given that ARTE documentaries are broadcast in multiple territories, projects led by voiceovers that can be revoiced in several languages are preferred. Presenter-led documentaries or series are generally not suitable for ARTE, except in rare cases where the presenter is a global icon, such as Angelica Huston on Joyce by Blueprint Films.

Completed projects must be delivered to ARTE 6-8 weeks before the broadcast date to allow time for translation, subtitling, and revoicing in French and German, as well as Polish, Spanish, and Italian for on-demand services. The costs for revoicing and subtitling are covered by ARTE and should not be included in the programme production budgets.

How To Apply

Production companies interested in submitting a programme proposal for the fund should initially submit their proposal through RTÉ’s e-Commissioning system Login | RTE (rtegroup.ie) . Indicate that the idea is suitable for co-production with ARTE and provide information on any other third-party funders if applicable. If the proposal is approved for further consideration, Sarah Ryder, RTÉ’s ARTE lead, will present it to the relevant ARTE commissioning executives.

Further information

For more details on the RTÉ / ARTE G.E.I.E. co-production fund, please contact Sarah Ryder at sarah.ryder@rte.ie.