Ms Celene Craig:

There is specific potential for raising funding via the content levy, as the Deputy indicated. It flows from Article 13.2 of the audiovisual and media services directive. It is something we have been giving quite a bit of thought to and, indeed, other sectoral interests in this area have also taken an in-depth look at the kind of funding that might be generated and the purposes for which it might be disbursed. Those are set within the framework of the legislation.

There are two ways of looking at this. Assuming that the Sound and Vision scheme continues as it is, the content levy would potentially sit alongside that and I think we will see that the shape as currently proposed in the legislation is not dissimilar to that. However, there would be a need to co-ordinate any sources of funding that might be available to support content within the scope of the legislation, and there would be a need to co-ordinate and try to look at that in the round in terms of the objectives of the media commission. There is certainly potential in the content levy. There is a bit of work to be done in terms of putting it in place and we also believe it is vital to continue the work of the Sound and Vision scheme while that content levy scheme is being developed and drawn up.

I will not say that there will be overlap but there is certainly the opportunity to look at the totality of funding in the round in terms of what the wider objectives of the media commission are in regard to diversity for Irish audiences and that wider issue around sustainability of the sector that links into that. There is a question of looking at it all in the round in terms of the kind of content that is produced by either scheme, although, ultimately, it might be something that would merge into a single scheme. At the moment, we believe it is vital to continue the Sound and Vision scheme while that Article 13.2 scheme is being developed. We have done some preliminary thinking on this ourselves and we have also been trying to lay the foundation for this. There is quite a lot of information that needs to flow from the sectoral players but also in other European jurisdictions. We are trying to smooth the process through a memorandum of understanding that we have developed with the other regulators in Europe to ensure there is that smooth through-flow of financial information from the players that would be contributing to such a scheme. We have done some preliminary work around this.

The other point I would make is that this is likely to be a very high priority for the new media commission and work could be up and running very quickly with the right resources in place.