An Irishman has already played James Bond with distinction but now moves are afoot to actually shoot the next James Bond film in Ireland for the first time, its producer and writer have said.

Both Barbara Broccoli, whose family have produced the franchise from the beginning, and the screenwriter John Logan appeared at a high profile event in Dublin at the weekend hosted by the Institute of Directors to support the Irish film industry.

Three-times Oscar-nominated Logan is one of Hollywood’s most successful screenwriters with titles like Gladiator, The Aviator and the last Bond film Skyfall among his credits.

According to the Irish Times Logan will be based in Ireland until next March as creator and producer of the $33 million gothic horror television series Penny Dreadful for Showtime. The series is being shot at Dublin's Ardmore Studios and will be partially funded by the Irish Film Board international production fund.

Penny Dreadful stars former James Bond Timothy Dalton, former Bond girl Eva Green and actors Josh Hartnett and Reeve Carney. Keeping it in the Bond family Sam Mendes, the executive producer of the series, will also direct the next James Bond movie.

Logan told the press that the script for the new Bond film, which is not due out until the end of 2015, is in process and he would be using his time in Ireland to "soak up the local color now that I’m here," with a view to including the country as a location in the next film.

Logan also pointed out that he is second-generation Irish himself as his parents both come from Belfast. 'I’m fully Irish,' he said.

Broccoli said if Logan includes it in his next script 'we’ll come here. Ireland is gorgeous. I’d love to come here and make a Bond film.'

Broccoli was also the producer of the Broadway musical version of the low-budget Irish film Once which became an international sensation. On Sunday she revealed she's working with Once director John Carney on another film to be shot in Ireland. 'I hope we will come here to film whether it is a Bond or another story,' she added.

Meanwhile Irish director Carney scored a major international success at the Toronto Film Festival last week with his new movie Can A Song Save Your Life?

Producer Harvey Weinstein reportedly snapped up the US distribution rights to the film for the movie for $7 million with a commitment to spend a further $20 million in advertising.