Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 July 2006
233 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals to introduce legislation governing the broadcasting sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26708/06]
View answerThe priority issues to be addressed by the legislative proposals that will form the basis of a new Broadcasting Bill are as follows:
•The establishment of a single content regulator for commercial, community and public service broadcasters.
•The establishment of RTÉ as a company under the Companies Acts.
•The provision of a statutory mechanism for future adjustments to the level of the television licence fee.
•The development of the Right of Reply mechanism, allowing persons whose reputation and good name have been damaged by an assertion of incorrect facts in a television or radio programme to gain redress.
Work on developing the legislative proposals needed to address these issues is continuing. I anticipate that I will be in a position to bring the proposals to Government shortly with publication of the Broadcasting Bill in 2006.
My intention in framing the legislative proposals will be to ensure that the broadcasting regulatory environment continues to encourage the parallel development of high quality broadcasting by Irish public service, commercial and community broadcasters.
234 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the discussions he has had with the various interested parties in the context of a review of broadcasting legislation with particular reference to the public and independent sector, local and national, radio and television; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26709/06]
View answerThe priority issues to be addressed by the legislative proposals that will form the basis of a new Broadcasting Bill are as follows:
•The establishment of a single content regulator for commercial, community and public service broadcasters.
•The establishment of RTÉ as a company under the Companies Acts.
•The provision of a statutory mechanism for future adjustments to the level of the television licence fee.
•The development of the Right of Reply mechanism, allowing persons whose reputation and good name have been damaged by an assertion of incorrect facts in a television or radio programme to gain redress.
Work on developing the legislative proposals needed to address these issues is continuing. I anticipate that I will be in a position to bring the proposals to Government shortly, with publication of the Broadcasting Bill in 2006.
My intention in framing the legislative proposals will be to ensure that the broadcasting regulatory environment continues to encourage the parallel development of high quality broadcasting by Irish public service, commercial and community broadcasters.
In the context of the development of broadcasting policy, my officials and I have cause, on a regular basis, to meet with the various interests that comprise the broadcasting sector including, but not limited to, commercial broadcasters, public service broadcasters and independent producers.
At many of these meetings the issues to be addressed in the forthcoming Broadcasting Bill, given their relative importance to the sector, have been raised and discussed in general terms.
