Ms Tríona Quill:

I thank the Senator for those questions. There is very little in the online safety and media regulation Bill that is not required to implement the AVMSD. In order to implement it, it could not be done through the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland because it does not have the statutory powers regarding on-demand services and online safety aspects. We needed to make statutory provision for a regulator with wider powers in that regard.

The other point to note is the AVMSD is quite high level in some of its provisions and they need to be teased out in more detail. I entirely appreciate the points the Senator made but we attempted, insofar as it was possible, to keep the online safety and media regulation Bill focused on the implementation of the directive. That is why we did not address other areas of the Broadcasting Act that are now being considered by the Future of Media Commission. Nevertheless, quite a range of issues are addressed in the Bill.

Regarding the model and getting the office up and running, we have prepared a business case. We have been engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and have strongly asserted to it not only that we believe the commission needs substantial resources but also that we would like to get recruitment going before the commission is formally established so that it has a chance to hit the ground running once it receives formal establishment. Those discussions are still ongoing.

In terms of a content levy, there is provision in the Bill for a content production levy but it is recognised that potential impacts from introducing a levy for citizens and for others need to be teased out. The levy will not be commenced until the commission has been established, has considered and researched the issues involved and has brought forward the detailed provisions in a levy order.