Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

As it is outside the remit of Standing Orders, the purpose of the motion is to recommit on Report Stage a specific matter relating to the funding of TG4. The comments of spokespersons, with the exception of Deputy Ferris, have ranged far and wide. Members are perfectly entitled to do this. The net issue is that this Bill was considered an appropriate vehicle to facilitate the TG4 issue.

As a result of the last budget, it is proposed to transfer a sum of money from the licence fee to the funding of TG4. That sum amounts to €9.245 million in 2011. In answer to the question from Deputy Ó Cuív, that will remain the position. TG4 will for the moment remain part Exchequer funded and part funded in this fashion from licence money. In addition, there is a provision to allow for the establishment of a funding scheme for public and private broadcasters relating to the archiving of programme material, which is important. The figure of €9.245 million represents approximately a third of TG4's required revenue.

There was a second budget decision for 2011 regarding television licence fee receipts, and this was to cap at 2010 levels the contribution in television licence fees to be made by the Department of Social Protection in respect of the distribution by that Department of free television licences under the household benefits package. As with the first point I mentioned, there is currently no provision in the Broadcasting Act 2009 to allow for the implementation of a cap of this nature, and the legislation must be amended as a matter of urgency to ensure the 2011 budget decision, as reflected in the Revised Estimate for 2011 for the Department of Social Protection, can be delivered.

The remaining matter is required urgently with regard to the existing provision of the Broadcasting Act 2009 relating to the establishment by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland of an archiving scheme under the broadcasting fund. The purpose of such a scheme would be to assist both public service and commercial broadcasters to undertake the archiving of important programme material that might otherwise be lost to the people. I understand a number of broadcasters have programmes in place awaiting the initiation of this scheme. Unfortunately, the existing provision as currently worded runs counter to European Union state aid rules and must be amended as a matter of urgency in order that the draft scheme can be approved by the European Commission and put into operation by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

Deputy Ó Cuív went far outside these issues to speak about his vision for the funding of public broadcasting television. He and I are ad idem on the value to our society of public service broadcasting. The Deputy expressed disappointment that the measure in respect of TG4, as he noted, preceded Christmas and all this time later I have not changed the entire system of broadcasting in Ireland. I might do it if I got a little time. Deputy Ó Cuív had 14 years to do it-----

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