Under the provisions of section 4 of the Radio and Television Act, 1988, it is the function of the Independent Radio and Television Commission to arrange for the provision of, inter alia, sound broadcasting services additional to any broadcasting services provided by Radio Telefís Éireann. It is, therefore, a function of the Independent Radio and Television Commission to arrange for the provision of community broadcasting services and it has already taken some steps in this regard.
The Green Paper on the whole structure of broadcasting, which I hope to publish shortly, will facilitate wide discussion on the needs of broadcasting, including the needs of community broadcasting, which I see as having a crucial role in the future. If there are inadequacies in the current legislation, and I refer particularly to the 1988 Act, with regard to community broadcasting, these can be addressed in the context of the Green Paper, and the legislative response to the discussion on it.