Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 October 2022
81. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when she envisages that the media fund for local reporting, proposed in the Future of Media Commission’s report, will be established; the amount that will be allocated to the fund; the criteria for applying for funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52224/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Report of the Future of Media Commission recommended that the Broadcasting Fund, currently provided for under Part 10 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and which supports the Sound and Vision and Archiving Schemes, should be converted into a Media Fund to provide funding on a platform-neutral basis to the wider media sector.
The Report also recommended that in addition to the two current schemes, the Media Fund should support six new support schemes, including a Local Democracy Reporting Scheme, to be introduced on a phased basis. It proposed that the Fund should be operated by Coimisiún na Meán, the new media regulator being established by the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill (OSMR) 2022, to ensure that funding decisions are independent of Government, and that the Fund be established on administrative basis in advance of its formal establishment on a statutory basis.
In light of the recommendations of the Report, €6 million has been allocated in Budget 2023 to the Media Fund on an administrative basis, with the priority being the establishment of a Local Democracy Reporting Scheme and a Courts Reporting Scheme, both of which will support media at local, regional and national levels on a platform-neutral basis. As recommended by the Commission, the broad parameters of the Schemes will be developed by my Department while the detailed design and administration of the Schemes, including issues regarding eligibility, will be the responsibility of Coimisiún na Meán.
My officials in consultation with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, have commenced work on the broad parameters of the Schemes and the practical steps necessary to progress their establishment. Once Coimisiún na Meán has finalised the design of the Schemes, State aid clearance will be sought from the European Commission. Following State aid approval I expect that Coimisiún na Meán will begin the practical administration of the Schemes in line with any terms that the European Commission may require.
