Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am quite willing to hear the views of the committee. If the committee wants to come forward with a proposal to introduce a broadcasting charge or amend the current legislation, it should come forward with it and we will have a look at it. The Department will facilitate the committee any way it can in respect of that. My priority from a legislative point of view is to ensure that content that is currently being given free of charge to other operators who use it as a mechanism to attract business is paid for by those operators.

We are looking at what is happening in the UK regarding needing a television licence number to access content. Content is being generated by the public service broadcaster. Should people have free access to it if they are not prepared to pay for it? We are looking at all options in respect of this. I will bring a memorandum to Government about where I think I can make progress on this matter in the near future. If the committee wants to come forward with a newly designed charge, it should bring it forward and we will look at it. From listening to people, I can see that views across the committee are quite mixed. If the committee can come up with a consensus, I am quite happy to consider it.

In respect of Celtic Media Group, a number of mergers are being proposed at the moment. The proposed acquisition of Wireless Group by News Corps (UK & Ireland) is being processed by my Department. Unless clarification is sought by me, I must make a determination by 27 September and I will do so. The proposed acquisition of UTV Ireland by Liberty Global has been cleared by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission as of 7 September 2016. The parties have ten days from the date on which the decision was made to notify me. To the best of my knowledge, that notification has not come in yet but I am open to clarification. The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has received notification from the parties involved in the proposed acquisition by Independent News & Media of the publishing division of Celtic Media Group. Once the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has completed its assessment of the transaction on competition grounds and has made a determination, the Department and I will then be notified and a phase one assessment will commence.