Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for having to go out to take a call. I would like to support Senator McDowell. The report we have to compile will be important. I think there was consensus at the beneficial event we held in Dublin Castle. RTE is doing an important job. Local radio and print media also need support. Indigenous media are facing real problems in the digital environment that is being created. We need to change the licence fee system quickly because our media are in urgent danger. I agree with Senator McDowell's suggestion that there should be a complete change. It should not just be a question of looking for a tender for a slightly different means of collection under the same system. The current approach is inefficient, iniquitous and drives people mad. It is time to change the collection system. There are other mechanisms.

As a committee, we have worked to examine the issue of transmission rights. I think we need to move quickly on the broadcasting Bill that is due before the House so that RTE is given the power to negotiate to get revenues from this source. The revenue support for Irish media can be strengthened in a variety of ways. It is not just about the licence fee. We should be looking at transmission rights. The Minister should act boldly and quickly on that. I expect that representatives of Sky and TV3 will say that all of this is nonsense when they come before us on Tuesday. They will bend our ears to tell us how brilliant they are. From my viewpoint, what Senator McDowell says is right. We need to be quick. We need to protect and support local indigenous Irish media in a way that does not just hit the householder but spreads the burden more widely. We need to look at a variety of low-hanging fruit. I just wanted to make that point. I think it is absolutely appropriate. I imagine that we will have our report by the end of this month. I hope that will help the process. The Minister does not have long to do this. I think it has to happen quickly because our media are in difficulty. We have to recalibrate how we fund them. I am not just talking about RTE; I am talking about other broadcast and print media as well. One of the things that came out of our forum is that these difficulties are being encountered across the media in general. Broadcast media is not the only sector we need to support.