Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 February 2024
149. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the number of times officials from his Department, in health and well-being and the food unit, have met with Coimisiún na Meán; if he can outline the dates of and delegates attending each meeting, as well as the topics of discussion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8165/24]
View answerCoimisiún na Meán was established in March 2023 further to the provisions of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Act 2022 (“OSMR Act 2022”) www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2022/act/41/enacted/en/html. The OSMR Act 2022 amended the Broadcasting Act 2009, www.bai.ie/en/download/128802/, to establish Coimisiún na Meán and dissolve the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (“BAI”).
In addition to undertaking the functions of the BAI as the regulator for broadcasting in Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán is to establish a regulatory framework for online safety, update the regulation of television broadcasting and audiovisual on-demand services, and transpose the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive into Irish law.
The Health and Wellbeing Unit in the Department of Health has met bilaterally with Comisiún na Meán on two occasions. The first meeting took place on June 6th 2023 on Microsoft Teams, where the Head of Healthy Ireland and an official at AP level met with Niamh Hodnett, Online Safety Commissioner in An Coimisiún, as well as 3 other officials. The main topics of discussion at this meeting were centred around the establishment of An Comisiún and the work that was going to be undertaken for the first set of online safety codes.
The second meeting between the Health & Wellbeing Unit and An Coimisiún took place on the 25th of January 2024 in the Department of Health. In attendance were the Head of Healthy Ireland and officials at AP and AO level, and the Director of Codes & Rules from Coimisiún na Meán. Issues discussed at this meeting were the outcome of the EU Joint Action Best ReMaP, the Nutrient Profile Model, the Work Programme of the Coimisiún, the consultation on the online safety code that was that was out at the time (which the Department of Health submitted a response to) and how progress could be made on addressing unhealthy foods and beverages within the codes. Both the Department and the Coimisiún na Mean agreed to work together and with other relevant stakeholders to progress this agenda.
Officials from Food Unit in the Department of Health have not met with officials from Coimisiún na Meán.
