Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

I support Deputy McManus's amendment. As regards the issue of secondary rights for an independent production company that, for example, has made a programme which has been broadcast on RTE and on which it has done a deal, there was a concern that all the cards are in the hands of the broadcaster, not the production company. In reality, many of these productions will not fly unless there is an agreement with the broadcaster which in most instances, but not always, is RTE. Sometimes it is TG4 or TV3. Those production companies want to have more of a say on secondary rights. In other words, in a year or two, after a series they have produced is finished on RTE, they want the opportunity to sell those productions outside Ireland or, potentially, to another broadcaster in Ireland. As things stand, RTE keeps those rights. The case is made that an artist is more likely to sell his or her work enthusiastically after its initial showing than the corporation or broadcaster that has shown it already and no longer has a use for it, apart from trying to raise some revenue by selling those rights to another broadcaster abroad. For example, if RTE decides to market a programme to the Irish community in the US, who is better placed to do that? Is it a broadcaster or the production company? The Minister did say he would examine the issues raised in Deputy McManus's amendment regarding disputes in the area of secondary rights.

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