Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 5 May 2021

Joint Committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht

General Scheme of the Online Safety and Media Regulation Bill 2020: Discussion (Resumed)

Mr. Michael O'Keeffe:

I might take the first question and then hand over to my colleague, Ms Craig, for the questions on harmful online content.

The local radio sector is important to us. It is our bread and butter. We started off as the Independent Radio and Television Commission, IRTC, way back when. I am unsure whether the Deputy is aware of it, but we have run a number of schemes in the past 12 months reflecting the difficulties that the sector has encountered. There was a levy waiver from the BAI during the first half of last year. We have run two special sound and vision schemes with the support of the Minister, who has given us additional funding to allow that. The schemes have been appreciated by the sector. We have a good relationship with the sector on a number of fronts through the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, IBI, which I believe will appear before the committee soon, and Learning Waves Skillnet, which is the training and development group. The latter's AGM was last Friday. It is a successful and strong group and we provide funding supports to it. We have a range of engagements with the local and regional radio sectors as well as the community radio sector, which someone asked me about earlier.

The licensing and regulatory role that I talked about in my introductory remarks is part of the core of what we do, and that will not change. We are passionate about the sector, and that passion will continue.

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