Joint Oireachtas Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media meet for engagement with Coimisiún na Meán on its 2023 work programme

Speaking ahead of the meeting at 1:30pm in Committee Room 1 of Leinster House Committee Cathaoirleach Deputy Niamh Smyth said: "Our Committee welcomes Coimisiún na Meán to the meeting tomorrow. Coimisiún na Meán’s first work programme published in June this year sets out a range of goals for the period up to February 2024, when Coimisiún na Meán will officially begin its role as Ireland’s Digital Services Coordinator (DSC) under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA).

We look forward to this, our first engagement with Coimisiún na Meán, and engaging with its Executive Chairperson and individual Commissioners on the ways in which it proposes to deliver on its ambitious and much-needed work programme. We will look for background, amongst other issues, on the initiatives that aim to increase media literacy among the public both in regards to broadcast and online content, and promoting good environmental practice in the media sector.

We welcome the commitments to publish a Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and to commence a comprehensive review of Irish language media services.

We also look forward to hearing plans to look at opportunities for media organisations on both sides of the border to collaborate to develop a strategic plan for sports broadcasting in conjunction with Sport Ireland.”

The meeting in Committee Room 1 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

The Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media has 14 Members, nine from the Dáil and five from the Seanad.

Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.