Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am in no way using it as an excuse. When the issue was debated in the House in 2014, there was no significant Sinn Féin intervention on the issues highlighted in the report produced by Ms Lynn Boylan, MEP. Deputy Peadar Tóibín did make reference on Second Stage to the need for diversity and plurality, but there was no amendment tabled in that regard.

Reference was made on Committee Stage to cross-ownership of the media, particularly to the setting of hard thresholds on cross-ownership. At the time, the Minister, Deputy Bruton, responded that the advisory group on media mergers, whose recommendations preceded the Bill, believed that specifying metrics in legislation would be fraught with risk. A large number of issues regarding the passage of this legislation were debated not so long ago. The legislation is now in place. There is a mechanism through the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to review on an ongoing basis the mergers that take place and report back. I published the first such report in June of this year. The next review will take place in 2018, and I will publish that when it is made available as well.

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