Vol. 528 No. 1
347 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will consider instituting a wider review of the future funding mechanisms for the State broadcaster in view of the significant licence fee increase currently being sought by RTE; if an impending EU Directive is likely to significantly affect the protected position of public service broadcasters throughout the Union; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29738/00]
My priority with regard to the funding of RTE is to finalise my consideration of the application made by RTE to increase the television licence fee by £50. I have engaged the firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers to advise my Department on the matter. When the application has been considered fully, I will bring whatever proposals may emerge to Government for approval. In addition to licence fee revenue, RTE can generate commercial revenue through advertising and other commercial activities. I have no plans at present to make any changes to this situation.
I am not aware of an impending EU Directive in regard to public service broadcasting. I understand that the European Commission is currently drawing up internal guidelines to assist it in dealing in a consistent manner with complaints under State aid rules relating to the funding of public service broadcasters. No such guidelines have been published as yet. As I indicated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 120 on 4 October 2000, my position, which is a position shared by all the member states, is that public service broadcasting, as recognised by the Protocol to the Amsterdam Treaty must be upheld and cannot be allowed to be undermined.
348 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she has received any applications from County Kildare under the new initiative regarding historical monuments; the procedure for such applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29740/00]
The £78 million in capital funding for the built heritage which I announced on 5 November last was in respect only of properties in the care of the State. This funding will be provided through the capital allocation for the built heritage in the Vote of my Department and the total programme reflects the funding to be made available to me from the Exchequer under the national development plan.
In deciding on where funding for the built heritage should be allocated in the period to 2006 I gave full consideration to the 740 properties under my control and reached the decision that the emphasis for the period in question should shift from the provision of new or improved facilities for visitors at heritage sites, which has been the main focus for the last decade or so, to the conservation of heritage properties. To this end, and following the review of properties I just referred to, I identified approximately 100 sites which I considered were in need of investment from either a conservation, protection or presentation point of view and I allocated £65 million to allow the necessary work to be undertaken in a phased manner in the period to 2006. A further £13 million will be available for minor works at national monuments and historic properties in State care in the same period.
In this context the following properties in County Kildare will be addressed in the programme – Maynooth Castle, Jigginstown Castle, Castletown House, Moone High Cross and Grange Castle.
