Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media to discuss the European Media Freedom Act

The Committee will hear submissions from representatives from:

Officials from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (13:30-14:30) approx.
Representatives from the National Anti-Bullying Research and Resource Centre and DCU Institute for Future Media, Democracy and Society  (FUJO) (14:35 – 16:30) approx.
Representatives from National Union of Journalists (14:35 – 16:30) approx.
 

Speaking ahead of the meeting at 1:30pm in Committee Room 1 of Leinster House Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Niamh Smyth said: "tomorrow’s meeting will give our Committee the opportunity to hear from those stakeholders directly impacted by publication in September by the European Commission of the proposed European Media Freedom Act which is a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening the free and pluralistic media system and the commitment to protect journalists and editorial independence within the European Union.  

We will seek to gain more insight from those that will be affected by the Act and will use our time in the meeting to look in-depth at the issues that the stakeholders have with some of the Articles of the Act. 

This Committee has a strong track record in addressing the wider problem of online abuse which is one of the major issues that we will hear from the National Union of Journalists concerning their members. Our Report on the Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill addressed the regulation of online platforms which we published last November can be read here.”

The meeting in Committee Room 1 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

The Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.