Mr. Rónán Ó Domhnaill:

On foot of a recommendation in the Future and Media Commission report, Coimisiún na Meán, with great co-operation from Fís Éireann, conducted a visibility study on the introduction of a European works levy, as permitted. It was to look at efficiency and feasibility and whether such a levy could or should be introduced. As this was being done, what we were focused on was the overall production sector in Ireland and the overall amount of content that is available for consumers. There are various strands to that, such as section 481 tax relief, independent production and the feasibility study on the content levy. That was presented to the Minister at the end of January. In the legislation before the committee, the provision is recommended that a levy order should be approved by the Minister and that he would direct Coimisiún na Meán to devise a scheme. How a levy would work, what it would produce and who would be levied are questions that would only be clarified through a scheme being devised. It is ultimately at the discretion of the Minister to request that this be done.