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

If we look to the Future of Media Commission report, one of the recommendations relates to a media fund. We already have the Sound and Vision Fund, comprised of 7% of the net television licence take but the recommendation is that there would be a broader media fund of about €30 million. What we would have is support for public service media content, not just on television and radio but also in local newspapers. In last year's budget I secured €6 million in the development of that fund and I will be looking for money again this year. Whatever the future funding model is, there is a recommendation that €30 million be provided to support public service media. Such a fund would replace the Sound and Vision Fund and would have broader media remit. This would enable us to provide support for media in our regions and rural Ireland.