Dáil debates

Wednesday, 8 October 2008

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed)

 

4:00 pm

Photo of Chris AndrewsChris Andrews (Dublin South East, Fianna Fail)

I do not have any quotes to match those so I will stick to the basics. I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on this Bill, which had over 420 submissions during the consultation process. Notwithstanding the comments of Deputy Higgins, it is a positive Bill which will clearly change the shape of broadcasting in Ireland.

Some of the main points may not address the concerns of Deputy Higgins but they make a positive contribution to broadcasting. The new and overarching broadcasting authority of Ireland will address much of the concern that viewers and citizens have with public and private broadcasters. The introduction of sanctions of up to €250,000 for licence and code infringements is a positive move. Previously, the BCI had to take what was the drastic option of revoking a licence for a code or licence infringement. That the punishment will be staggered and the penalty will suit the crime is probably a good step.

The establishment of audience councils is a positive move. Two new stations will be set up, Oireachtas TV and the Irish film channel. I will come back to the Oireachtas TV channel in a moment.

I have a number of observations to make on the ban on the advertising of junk food aimed at children. With recent figures indicating that almost 300,000 Irish children are affected by obesity, it is clear that addressing the problem will be a major challenge for society, especially parents.

I read in one of the submissions on the legislation that while carbohydrate intake has not increased in the past ten years, exercise levels have declined significantly. If people eat more and exercise less, it will clearly have a knock-on effect in terms of the rate of obesity. As a parent and someone who is involved with local sporting groups, I believe addressing the problem of obesity is best done through parental and school involvement rather than in the media. When children are active and involved in local activities it has a positive impact on reducing obesity.

The ongoing development of sports facilities must be maintained. The Ceann Comhairle in a previous life did much to address the shortage of sporting facilities. This has made a major difference in all sections of the community, whether elite athletes or those who wish only to participate in sport. One problem we face is to persuade parents to stay and become involved in clubs and activities rather than dropping off their children or using sports facilities as crèches.

The decision to introduce a ban on junk food advertisements aimed at children is a positive step but no more than a tiny piece in the jigsaw in terms of our efforts to tackle obesity. Deputy Coveney lamented the fact that a restriction similar to the ban on junk food advertising does not apply to alcohol advertisements. I agree that this is a missed opportunity and I hope the proposed broadcasting authority of Ireland will have the power to introduce strong measures to restrict the advertising of alcohol on television. I hope the Minister will examine this issue and, if necessary, beef up the authority's powers in this area. In saying this, I do not seek to detract from the positive measures in the legislation.

The Ceann Comhairle has led the way in making the Houses of the Oireachtas more accessible to members of the public. While I have no doubt that an Oireachtas television challenge makes sense in theory and will, in time, become necessary, I am not convinced that such a channel is currently required. Knowing that this legislation was pending, over the past week I asked a number of people whether they had ever followed contributions in the House live on the Oireachtas website. Not one of those whom I asked had visited the website to watch the live feed of proceedings and many of them were not aware that it was possible to do so. For this reason, it may be preferable to raise public awareness of available services before we seek to establish an Oireachtas television channel. Our current media infrastructure, specifically the RTE, TG4 and TV3 television channels, are the appropriate vehicle for improving the connection between the Oireachtas and members of the public. At this point, the establishment of a new channel would amount to a duplication of services. Perhaps someone will provide a technical reason showing that a new channel would not generate additional costs.

People are not ready for an Oireachtas television channel. "Oireachtas Report" is a top-class, professional programme.

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