Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media meet for detailed scrutiny of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2023

The meeting will hear from:

Patrick Costello, TD

Officials from Dept. of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media

Representatives from Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ)

Dr Eoin O’Dell, Associate Professor of Law, Trinity College Dublin

Dr James O’Sullivan, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Digital Humanities, UCC

Representatives from Archives and Records Association Ireland (ARA Ireland).

Representatives from Irish Traditional Music Archive

Representatives from Digital Rights Ireland

Speaking ahead of the meeting at 1pm in Committee Room 1 of Leinster House Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Niamh Smyth said: "The Committee’s work continues tomorrow with focus turning to the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2023 which seeks to allow greater public access to content that is in the possession of our national broadcaster RTÉ. This content documents Irish life, culture and the history of the state.  

“The Bill seeks to facilitate access by way of the insertion as a statutory function of a director general, the duties with regard to making the archives available including provision of finding aids. The Bill also seeks to ensure that the archives are made available free of charge in many circumstances.

“We welcome the representatives attending tomorrow and will look to them to detail the implications contained in the implementation of this Bill.” 

 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.