Vol. 403 No. 1
169 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Communications the current position of the issuing of local community radio licences, in view of the information given by him to Dáil Éireann during the debate on the Broadcasting Bill, 1990; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
It is important to draw a distinction between the licensing function and the franchising — or entering into a contract — function as defined in the Radio and Television Act, 1988.
The franchising function is the prerogative of the Independent Radio and Television Commission. The licensing function is essentially a technical one which I exercise, under which a radio frequency and other technical parameters relating to transmitter characteristics, are assigned to the commission for the benefit of the service being franchised. Questions realting to the nature of the service being provided — for example whether it is a community or other type service — do not arise in relation to the licensing function.
On the position of the 24 local sound broadcasting services currently franchised and licensed to operate what we would call medium power transmitters, I cannot say how many, if any, would categorise themselves as community services since this is solely a matter for the Independent Radio and Television Commission.
On the question of what the commission have categorised as low-power community stations, the commission have not sought licences for any stations in this category.
