Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

Amendment No. 39 accepts that because of the way broadcasting can operate, it is not always possible to ensure the requirement of the ten minutes in the hour limit for advertisements is adhered to strictly all day every day. To average it over two hours provides a certain amount of flexibility which would be fair to broadcasters.

The current provision as it stands has only led to micro-management with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland watching out for broadcasters to fail the test. If the new authority is meant to be taking on extra duties, it does not make sense that it must carry the old duty of managing per hour the amount of advertising by each broadcaster. A journalist, for example, falling by the wayside in letting a politician talk longer than he or she should must not become an issue for a broadcaster.

I do not support Deputy Coveney's amendment allowing for additional advertising time. The problem lies more with the current difficult economic climate. Broadcasters cannot get enough advertising to fill the spaces they have, let alone us giving them more space.

There are also issues about transparency. We have a dominant player in RTE, a public broadcaster which does a fine job. However, issues arise with broadcasters competing for advertising revenue not just in the broadcasting sector, but in the print media too, another area that needs to be addressed. The advertising revenue pool has shrunk dramatically. There are concerns about how advertising rates are being applied and whether fair competition applies.

I am sorry I cannot support Deputy Coveney's amendment but I ask the Minister accept mine. It is a modest and minor amendment which will mean the authority will not be wasting its time micro-managing broadcasters which, at this stage, know how to operate in this area.

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