Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

With regard to the first part of amendment No. 80, as proposed by Deputy Coveney, the members of the boards of RTE and TG4 are obligated to comply with the laws of the land, including the competition law and the role of the Competition Authority. Included in this is the requirement to review any claims of abuse of competition law, as has been done in the Magill case in 1995 regarding television listings and in 2004 in respect of advertising by RTE.

With regard to the second part of the proposed amendment, I fully appreciate that this issue has caused public disquiet in recent times, especially in the light of the current straitened economic circumstances. However, I believe the mechanism being proposed by Deputy Coveney to address the issue of remuneration of presenters in RTE and TG4 does not accord with the objective of ensuring the independence of public service broadcasters from political influences. I do not believe it is an appropriate role for the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources or the Minister for Finance to set the pay levels of individual presenters. Members of the boards of RTE and TG4 are charged with providing immediate oversight in such operational decisions. The Deputy will be aware that this Bill introduces new and more robust performance measurement mechanisms for RTE and TG4 with a focus on whether value for money has been delivered. That is the appropriate role for Government and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland in respect of these issues. For these reasons I do not propose to accept Deputy Coveney's amendment.

With regard to amendment No. 89, as proposed by Deputy Coveney, section 124 requires the proposed broadcasting authority to consider on a five-year basis the adequacy or otherwise of public funding to RTE and TG4 to enable them to fulfil their public service objectives and make recommendations as to the appropriate level of public funding. Section 124(9) requires that the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, in carrying out its five-year funding review, to take into account, inter alia, the current level of public funding available to RTE or TG4 and the level of commercial funding available to the same stations as well as the development of public service broadcasting internationally and to report to the Minister on the matter. In broad terms, the matters raised in amendment No. 89 are already catered for in section 124 and as such I do not propose to accept the amendment.

Amendments Nos. 87, 104 and 106 in the name of Deputy McManus all relate to compliance with section 108. Section 108 imposes a continuing duty on RTE and TG4 to maximise revenues from their commercial endeavours and at the same time ensure that all transactions between their commercial endeavours and their public service objectives are made at an arms length basis, that is, on commercial terms. The duty pertaining to RTE and TG4 under section 108 applies to activities undertaken under section 106. In that respect I believe that amendment No. 87 is unnecessary.

Amendments Nos. 104 and 106 in summary link the public funding of RTE and TG4 and compliance with section 108. Section 108(3) provides that the compliance committee may, at the direction of the Minister, report on compliance by RTE or TG4, with the section's revenue maximisation and arms length provisions. In addition, the provisions of sections 109(9) to 109(13), inclusive provide the accounting information necessary to underpin any review under section 108(3).

Sections 123 and 124 provide both the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and the Minister with sufficient discretion to consider the outcome of any review under section 108(3) in the context of setting the level of public funding for RTE and TG4. As such, I believe, the issues raised by Deputy McManus in amendments Nos. 104 and 106 are adequately addressed by the mechanisms outlined in sections 108, 109, 123 and 124.

I am in agreement with both Deputy Coveney and Deputy McManus on the issue of very high pay levels in RTE being a source of concern. That was particularly evident in the recent very difficult decisions union members had to take in RTE regarding pay cuts. It seemed that the very high level of pay to executive and certain performers formed a very large part of the debate in RTE at that time and that shows how this is an important issue.

I will give my view and the reason we do not get involved in pay. Deputy McManus said we might have a culture where high pay goes with high advertising ratings. If that develops as a culture in a public service broadcasting institution it is deeply damaging.

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