Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome both our guests and wish them well in their positions. I was reading about Ms Curtis's experience. She is a very capable person to take on the job of chair and I wish her well in that position.

Ms Curtis mentioned the report of the Future of Media Commission. It is ironic that the committee with the remit for the media has not yet had sight of the report whereas every newspaper, radio and television organisation in the country seems to have seen it and is able to report on it. It is disappointing that the committee still has not had sight of it months after it was completed.

The BAI's responsibilities include licensing and the Sound and Vision scheme. What is Ms Curtis's view of the idea of a media licence? It is something I am in favour of and on which some of us in Fine Gael did a lot of work on last year. There should be a media licence applicable to all households rather than the current television licence. That would increase the funding available. This funding would not be used for certain television stations but for all TV, radio and the written media, which are under a lot of pressure, particularly after Covid and with the advancement of online media, etc. What are our guests' views on such a licence that would be available to fund all forms of media?