Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas arís leis na Teachtaí as a gcuid leasuithe. In Uimh. 15 agus 16, iarrtar leasú a dhéanamh ar fhoráil sa Bhille go ndéanfaidh coimisiún na meán a dhícheall lena chinntiú go bhfreastalóidh a bheartais maidir le seirbhísí craolacháin agus físe ar éileamh ar an bhealach is fearr ar riachtanais mhuintir oileán na hÉireann, ag cur a dtraidisiúin agus a dteanga san áireamh trí thagairt shonrach a dhéanamh don Ghaeilge.

Ceapadh an fhoráil seo den Bhille lena chinntiú go gcuirfidh coimisiún na meán le traidisiúin agus le teangacha éagsúla ar fad ar ár n-oileán san áireamh ina chuid oibre. Tá sé i gceist go gcuirfidh an tagairt do theanga, ní hamháin don Ghaeilge, don Bhéarla agus don Ultais ach don iliomad teangacha eile a labhraíonn daoine atá ina gcónaí ar ár n-oileán san áireamh.

I understand that the intention of amendments Nos. 15 and 16 are to specify a particular role for coimisiún na meán in supporting and promoting the Irish language and Irish language programming. I consider that the intention of the amendments is already provided for in the specific references to the role of an coimisiún in paragraphs (c) and (e) of subsection (3) of section 7 of the Broadcasting Act, as substituted by section 7 of the Bill. I, therefore, cannot accept the amendments.

I leasú Uimh. 18 d’athrófaí an dualgas atá ar an choimisiún cláir Gaeilge agus cláir a bhaineanna le hathrú aeráide agus inbhuanaitheacht chomhshaoil a chur chun cinn agus a spreagadh go dualgas chun forbairt agus soláthar na gclár sin a chinntiú agus a mhéadú.

The committee will know that I am strongly in favour of increasing the availability of Irish language programming. I have secured increased allocations to TG4 over the past three budgets. When I took up the post as Minister, the Exchequer allocation for TG4 was €37.2 million. In 2023, that allocation will be €52.2 million, which is an increase of just over 40% over a three-year period. I also approved TG4's proposal to establish a new dedicated Irish language children's channel, Cúla4, and made a specific €3.3 million provision in budget 2023 to support the new channel.

The language in the Bill is sufficient to ensure support by an coimisiún for the production of programming in the Irish language with regard to climate action. Replacing the term "promote and stimulate" with "ensure and increase" would imply that an coimisiún, as a media regulator, could direct the editorial content of a broadcaster or video-on-demand service towards a particular outcome. As an coimisiún will not have that power, I do not propose to accept the amendment.

Aontaím le cuspóir leasú Uimh. 21. Mhol na Seanadóirí Warfield, Ó Donnghaile, Gavan agus Boylan leasú ar Chéim an Choiste sa Seanad. Ar Chéim na Tuarascála sa Seanad thug mé ar aghaidh leasú ar an Bhille ina bhforáiltear in alt 7(3)(c) den Acht Craolacháin 2009, a dtagann an Bille ina áit, go ndéanfaidh an coimisiún úsáid na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn agus a spreagadh sna meáin cumarsáide a fheidhmítear sa Stát. This is a broader duty than proposed by the Deputies given that it encompasses the print media in addition to broadcasters, video-on-demand services and online services. I, therefore, do not accept amendment No. 21.

I leasú Uimh. 20, d’fhorálfaí go bhféadfadh an coimisiún athbhreithnithe straitéiseacha a dhéanamh ar na hearnálacha a rialaíonn an coimisiún maidir le craolachán i nGaeilge. The committee will be aware that the Report of the Future of Media Commission recommends that coimisiún na meán should conduct a comprehensive review of the provision of Irish language services across the media system, with a focus on institutional structures and opportunities for innovation and collaboration as well as strategies for youth engagement and Irish language education. Amendment No. 20 would confine the strategic review to broadcasting in the Irish language whereas the comprehensive review to be undertaken by an coimisiún will be broader in scope and include digital media. Accordingly, I do not intend to accept it.

I leasú Uimh. 33 cheanglófaí go gcuirfí sonraí faoi leith maidir le húsáid na Gaeilge mar theanga labhartha sna meáin san áireamh sa ráiteas straitéise a ullmhaíonn an coimisiún. Níl an fhoráil sa Bhille maidir le hábhar an ráitis straitéise saintreorach maidir leis na torthaí nó cuspóirí ar cheart a chur san áireamh in aon ráiteas. Tá sé sin toisc go leagtar amach dualgais agus feidhmeanna an choimisiúin go soiléir in alt 7 den Acht Craolacháin 2009, a dtagann an Bille ina áit. Bheadh aon ráiteas straitéise bunaithe ar na dualgais agus na feidhmeanna sin agus leagfaí amach ann na cuspóirí agus aschuir a bhaineann lena chomhlíonadh. Ní bheadh sé iomchuí díriú ar fheidhm ar leith de chuid an choimisiúin maidir leis an ráiteas straitéise ó tharla go bhféadfadh sé a thabhairt le tuiscint go bhfuil ordlathas cuspóirí ann don choimisiún. Tá sé i gceist go gcomhlíonfaidh an coimisiún a fheidhmeanna reachtúla go léir, ó shábháilteacht ar líne go cur chun cinn na gclár Gaeilge. Ní ghlacaim leis an leasú.

I cannot accept amendment No. 66. The proposed amendment would infringe on the editorial freedom of both advertisers and media service providers. However, we are taking action to increase the quantity of Irish language advertising. As the committee will be aware, my colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Chambers, recently brought the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 through the Oireachtas. As a consequence, section 10A of the Official Languages Act, as amended, will, when commenced, require public bodies to spend at least 20% of their advertising budgets on Irish language advertisements, with at least 5% to be placed through Irish language media.

Amendment No. 320 would amend the Long Title of the Bill to reference specifically the role of coimisiún na meán regarding the use and visibility of the Irish language. The Long Title of the Bill is not intended to capture or reference comprehensively every duty of coimisiún na meán nor to reference one in particular. Rather, it is intended to set out the broad contents of the Bill. Accordingly, I do not accept this amendment.