Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 May 2013
144. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources further to Parliamentary Question No. 411 on 23 April 2013, if he will confirm if Radio Telefís Éireann’s revenue has been sufficient to meet all sums properly chargeable to its current account and that RTÉ has made suitable provisions with respect to capital expenditure in each of 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20867/13]
View answerRTÉ is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit and obligations are set out in Section 114 of the Broadcasting Act 2009. Section 98 provides that the company shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject to the requirements of the Act and as such, I, as Minister, have no function in the management of RTÉ’s day to day affairs including decisions it makes on its financial expenditure and on its budgetary position. These are purely matters for RTÉ management. RTÉ has a direct obligation under Section 105 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to ensure that its revenue is at the earliest possible date at least sufficient to meet all sums properly chargeable to its current account and to make suitable provisions with respect to capital expenditure. I am satisfied that RTÉ management is fully cognisant of this obligation and are taking all the necessary steps to ensure that the company continues to be in compliance with the terms of the provision.
With regard to RTÉ making suitable provisions for its capital expenditure in the years 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, I refer the Deputy to RTÉ's Annual Reports and Group Financial Statements for the years in question, which provide the information being sought by the Deputy. These documents are available in the library of the Houses of the Oireachtas and on the RTÉ website.
