Lisa Chambers (Mayo, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I commend my colleague, Deputy Dooley, on bringing this motion to the House and I support it. I would like the Minister to listen very carefully to the outpouring of support in this Chamber, to those in the Visitors Gallery, and to the public support for local and community radio. It plays an important part in ensuring the proper functioning of our democracy and provides a public service. My local station, Midwest Radio, covers local sporting events, council meetings, elections, emergency events, school closures and death notices. We sometimes take these services for granted, but if they were to close tomorrow, who would provide that service? It is nothing that the national newspapers would or can do or would have an interest in doing. That local information and news would be a massive loss to our communities and our citizens.

Local stations also give young broadcasters their first chance. Many local broadcasters started off in their community radio stations. I think of the station in Castlebar town where I cut my teeth as a young local politician. Westport, Ballina, Claremorris, Erris and many small communities have their own local stations. They provide an important opportunity for young people to start out, to cut their teeth in broadcasting, to get that experience and, it is hoped, to move on to bigger stations and maybe up to the national media arena.

These stations provide an important service and they run on a shoestring. There is no money wasted. Everything is used efficiently. They fundraise, run advertising campaigns and get support from local businesses and politicians. They are looking for only a small percentage, a little bit of help, to keep the lights on and keep going. We are not here just to give out but we are offering concrete solutions. Our suggestion is to increase the revenue taken from the TV licence and 30% of that increased revenue would be directed to local radio stations and not more than 50% of the operating costs of that station would be covered by these State funds. It is a reasonable request and I ask the Minister to give it serious consideration and listen to the people and the public support. If we lose what is a vital public service, it will be a sorry day in our communities where that local news and information is lost forever.

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