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

Amendments Nos. 98 and 99 are intended to ensure that coimisiún na meán provide for the prominence of Irish-language programming and services in any rules made by coimisiún na meán under section 128C of the Broadcasting Act, as inserted by the Bill.

As I indicated earlier, public service programmes and public service media services include, by virtue of the definitions set out in section 128A of the Broadcasting Act, as amended by the Bill, RTÉ and TG4. Both of our public service broadcasters are required by their statutory objectives, set out in sections 114 and 118 of the extant Broadcasting Act, to provide programmes in the Irish language. TG4 is, of course, required to provide programmes primarily in the Irish language. For that reason, in providing for the prominence of our public service broadcasters, in particular TG4, section 128C adequately provides for the prominence of programming and services in the Irish language. Given the Bill already addresses the intention of amendments Nos. 98 and 99, I will not accept them.

Amendment No. 100 seeks to insert a reference to the rights of Irish-speaking users to engage with interactive guides in the Irish language in section 128C(2)(b). I believe the intention underlying this amendment is addressed by subsection (2)(e), which provides that in preparing rules on prominence an coimisiún shall have regard to the rights of users of prominence guides, with particular regard to their rights and likely expectations regarding Irish-language programmes and services. Accordingly, I do not accept amendment No. 100.