Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 10 December 2013
317. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the code of practice within which community radio stations are funded by his Department and supposed to deal with volunteer radio producers or presenters; and the steps a volunteer can take if they are dissatisfied with the decision of the station. [53011/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is the statutory independent body responsible for regulation of the broadcasting sector, which includes regulation of the community radio sector, and as such, I, as Minister have no role in this matter. The role of the BAI includes the provision of funding for the sector, by way of the Sound and Vision II Scheme. In addition, through the Sectoral Learning and Development Policy, the BAI provides support in two ways. The first is through the provision of funding support to CRAOL and CTA, the representative agencies for the community radio and television sectors. The second is through the Community Broadcasting Support Scheme, which offers funding to community radio and television broadcasters to conduct internal or external evaluations of their respective services. The completed evaluations are then used by broadcasters to identify and address areas of their operations that may need review or alteration. Neither the Minister nor the Authority have functions in regard to the internal disciplinary or complaints procedures of individual radio stations.
