Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Carrigy and Ms Quill. I commend the Department on its engagement with the sector and with various organisations and companies. It has been involved in an awful lot of consultation.

In one of her first contributions, Ms Quill informed Deputy Munster that the Future of Media Commission would need to grow quickly in size and mentioned the Data Protection Commission's 180 staff. As it stands, the BAI does not have a fundamental understanding of this space. Why would it? Could it be hiring staff now? Perhaps someone could begin working on the levy, for example, to ensure that we get money into local content as quickly as possible when the legislation is passed.

Has there been any doubt or confusion on the part of companies about where they might be positioned in terms of the pool of dedicated services?

The European Commission developed detailed guidance notes about how to implement the quota and in respect of the prominence of local content on platforms. Is there any reason that guidance is not contemplated in the Bill? Why is responsibility in this regard being left to the regulator or the media commission? Does Ms Quill think that the nature of the person who takes on the job will have a bearing on the Future of Media Commission? Are we leaving the media commissioner and the commission an awful lot to do following the establishment of the commission?