Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I move:

That Dáil Éireann notes the Broadcasting Act 2009 (Section 33) Levy Order 2010 [S.I. No. 7 of 2010] and the commitment of the Minister and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) to address the concerns of the broadcasting sector.

We had a useful and beneficial discussion at the Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources last week on this issue. Across the House there is a shared understanding of the importance of local radio to the country. Since it was introduced in the late 1980s, it has been hugely beneficial to many communities. We are all committed to protecting it and to see it continue to thrive. In recent years, those in the radio sector have said that good regulation helps radio companies succeed and that the early requirement for local radio stations to carry local content strengthened them and helped them thrive.

The Broadcasting Act 2009 has given the independent broadcasting sector a single regulator under the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, which it has been seeking for some time, without fear or favour to either side. It is crucial that a level playing field is provided.

Regulation tends to be funded by its industry as happens in energy, communications and other sectors. The Broadcasting Act 2009 sets out the ability of the broadcasting industry to fund its regulator, as is the practice elsewhere. I believe it is the right model. The levy order, laid before the House by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland in January 2010, set out the mechanism by which funding would be put in place. It did not determine the regulator's budget or the exact payments to be made by any radio station or broadcasting party. As was debated at the joint committee, the mechanism went through independent expert advice and consultation before it was laid before the House.

The Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources did valuable work in identifying the sector was in difficulty because of the downturn in advertising and the competitive nature of the market due to the large number of radio stations and asking the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to re-examine its budget and the amount of the levy. I was pleased with these developments. It will have a board meeting at the end of the month and I presume it will return to the committee afterwards with whatever budget revisions it has made.

I was glad I could tell the committee we could go further than that. I committed to examine legacy payments, those that might have to be made for covering the last quarter of 2009, and other mechanisms that could reduce the levy and, therefore, support the industry. We need good regulators and regulation in broadcasting as it is a more difficult sector to regulate than, say, energy or communications, due to it being involved in sensitive political and other social issues. Good content regulation is vital. The right people have been appointed to the authority to achieve this. I believe they can do their business in a cost-effective and efficient way that supports the industry.

We need to get it right as it is a difficult levy to introduce during a difficult economic time. The authority should be allowed to come back to the Oireachtas committee, as I will, to further the work already done, to deliver for the industry and to protect the jobs needed in our radio and television sector.

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