Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2020
643. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the funding applications for radio stations (details supplied) will be processed; when they will receive funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12297/20]
View answerIt is vital that the Irish public have a readily available, reliable source of information on COVID 19 and the measures being put in place to tackle the crisis, and the radio sector has played a valuable role in this regard.
At my request, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) agreed to waive levy payments for the independent radio sector in quarters 1 and 2 2020, which will save the sector €1m. This waiver covers all independent and community radio stations at national, regional and local level.
The BAI also agreed to my request that they put in place a Covid 19 funding round (Round 35) under the Sound and Vision Scheme of €2.5m for commercial radio stations. The BAI received a total of 32 applications from independent commercial radio stations across the country. The applications were evaluated according to the COVID-19 Fund assessment criteria, and all 32 applications are being allocated funding. The BAI expect that most of these awards will be paid by the end of June.
The BAI will operate a round specifically for community radio stations of €750,000 over the summer months (Round 36), with funding expected to be in place by early September. Later this year, a separate round 37 for the commercial and community television broadcasters and public service broadcasters, including RTÉ radio services will be launched. Details of this round will be announced by the BAI in due course.
