Micheál Carrigy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome everyone here. I have engaged with some of them over the past 12 months while myself and my party colleagues, Deputies Cannon and Bruton and Senator Buttimer, put together our submission to the commission on behalf of Fine Gael.

The VAT reduction is very welcome and was supported by all parties and none. I would support the reduction, if not the abolition, of the levy. The media commission is funded for €7.5 million for 2023 so there is funding there. The social media companies should be also paying into the fund. I fully support a change in that.

The commission's comprehensive report made 49 recommendations which are adopted by the Government and one which is out for consultation. What did the commission miss? Was there a glaring omission in its recommendations? What would be the priorities?

We were talking about staffing and courses. I met with Shannonside. Sometimes there is a difficulty recruiting people into journalism and radio. Are there sufficient courses at third level to train people?

Mr. Dooley mentioned the NUJ training and development unit set up. Will he expand on that?

What percentage of expenditure goes on defamation, court cases and legal costs annually to defend cases like that?

On sport, I look forward to the day when Shannonside commentates on Longford winning the All Ireland in Croke Park. Please God, that day will come. If one is not at a local game, listening to local commentators on our local radio station makes one feel like one is at the game, as it should be. I take this opportunity to wish Longford Slashers ladies, who are playing the All Ireland semi-final on Sunday, every success and hope they will be in an all-Ireland football final in Croke Park in the next couple of weeks.

Deputy Griffin mentioned sport being classified as a public interest because it is the same as our courts, council meetings, etc. Will our visitors comment on those points?