Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

While that has been a success, we need to further refine the assessment of what RTE produces in return for its licence fee. The system of measurement needs to be more sophisticated than a simple tally of the number of hours of programming in each category — it should refer to some of the broad values I mentioned earlier. While those values may be difficult to define, it is appropriate for the regulator and the public to expect the public broadcaster to assess and set out its course on the basis of true measures of quality, rather than on a "per hour" basis. I may be simplifying the current process somewhat. RTE is taking a proactive approach, in its own interest, to the process of refining its measures of assessment. At this legislative stage, it is important to recognise this measure as a beneficial further step.

Section 96 of the Bill specifies an important aspect of the process of assessing quality — the establishment of structures to be known as audience councils. This part of the legislation also facilitates the encouragement of an independent production sector. In recent years, the Government has successfully pursued a policy of encouraging independent producers. However, the industry remains quite small, fractured and fragmented. It needs to be strengthened if it is to be of long-term service to this country's broadcasters. One cannot create high-quality programming unless one has enough resources to be able to give adequate time to early production stages, such as the concept development stage and the creative design stage.

We have to make certain changes if we are to ensure that our independent production sector continues to thrive and make progress. The sector is important not only because it allows us to tell our stories here at home, but also because it allows us to tell stories overseas. We have an opportunity in this regard because we are good at storytelling. We are good in this sector of the media. We should be able to tell our stories at home and abroad, to Irish people and to other people. In that regard, section 112 initiates the process which will lead to the establishment of a code of fair trading practice. This will ensure that the relationship between independent production companies and the larger broadcasters is fair, provides for real freedom and encourages such companies to be enterprising.

Section 116 of the Bill before the House sets out the minimum amount the public sector broadcaster must spend on independent production. It also requires RTE, for the first time, to commission a minimum level of programming from the independent radio production sector, which is a significant development. I believe it will have a positive effect on the State broadcaster and the wider public.

Chapter 6 of Part 7 of the Bill sets out the details of this country's new digital terrestrial television package. I refer in particular to the introduction of a politics channel and an Irish film channel. As I said earlier, the debate that took place in this Chamber over recent days would have been top of the ratings among the Irish public if it had been able to access it. Should people not have been allowed to hear the contributions of people like Deputy Higgins on the crucial issue of the day? When the Dáil is not in session, would it not be right for the public to enjoy similar access to debates in the US Congress or the European Parliament, or any other parliament that the editorial team decides may be of interest to the Irish people as they look for political information? I have a vision of a politics channel that plays an important role as one of the free-to-air services provided to the Irish people in return for the licence fee.

We would like input from the people on the other side of the House on how we would operate a broadcasting fund to encourage a production centre. These are difficult decisions. One does not want to undermine the editorial strength and creativity of the main public sector broadcaster but at the same time one wants to encourage vitality in the sector at a time when commercial returns are not easy to forecast or manage.

The issues with regard to how we develop an independent sector such as what type of codes we put in place should form substantive debate on Committee Stage because they are substantial issues for our people even if sometimes they are not as easy to define as some of the banking, agriculture or transport issues we debate in the Chamber.

This Bill provides us with an opportunity at a time of real change in the country. It is a very positive time. I look forward to a time when my children do not face the prospect of spending their working lives paying off a mortgage. Some of the developments in recent years in terms of the massive property speculation which occurred was deeply damaging to our society.

I mentioned that the fire that has passed through our financial system means the Wall Street model no longer applies. New models will apply and it is time for us to have a clear sense of ourselves and a sense of cohesion. This comes from our broadcasters and our media, which are the embodiment of our public discussion. Today in the Dáil is a further extension of this. I wish it were live on television so those throughout the country could hear what Members opposite have to say.

See this speech in context