Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

Seanad Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 12 Jun 1986

Vol. 113 No. 6

Broadcasting of Proceedings of the Seanad and Oireachtas Committees: Motion.

I move:

That the following arrangements for the broadcasting of the proceedings of the Seanad, recommended by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges, be adopted:—

(1) that Radio Telefís Éireann be authorised to commence experimental broadcasting of the proceedings of the Seanad and Oireachtas Committees on a pilot basis for twelve months, provided that such broadcasting proves satisfactory throughout that period;

(2) that such broadcasting be reviewed on an on-going basis by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges;

(3) that such broadcasting to be in any of the following forms:—

(i) in edited form in Radio and Television News bulletins and current affairs programmes,

(ii) in edited form in a "Today in the Seanad/Oireachtas" type programme,

(iii) in edited form in a "This week in the Committees" type programme,

(iv) occasional live broadcasts of major debates of events in the Seanad or in Committees subject in each case to the prior approval of the Committee on Procedure and Privileges;

(4) that recordings should not be used in programmes of light entertainment, political satire or in party political broadcasts;

(5) that copyright of the material be retained by the Houses of the Oireachtas;

(6) that Radio Telefís Éireann archive material in accordance with their usual practice;

(7) that Radio Telefís Éireann be empowered to sell the recordings to foreign broadcasting stations at an appropriate charge subject to a formal agreement between Radio Telefís Éireann and such foreign broadcasting stations that the recordings shall not be used in programmes of light entertainment, political satire or in party political broadcasts;

(8) that Radio Telefís Éireann devote a proportion of broadcast coverage to proceedings of Oireachtas Committees; and

(9) that the Committee on Procedure and Privileges monitor progress of the new arrangements and be the body to consider any complaints from Senators about material broadcast.

As Senators can see, this is an all-party resolution from the Committee on Procedure and Privileges in connection with the broadcasting of the proceedings of the House. It goes back to October 1983 when we had RTE carrying out test broadcasting and test programming from the House. Thankfully, there has been a measure of agreement all the time from all sides of the House. We were anxious to agree as quickly as possible to the formal report that the proceedings of the House should be broadcast by RTE. It is in that context and in the context of all-party agreement that I have proposed the Motion.

Question put and agreed to.
Barr
Roinn