Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as a gcuid leasuithe. Ní ghlacaim le leasuithe Uimh. 15, 17 nó 69, toisc, mar a luaigh mé ar Céim an Choiste, go ndéanann siad macasamhail d’fhorálacha Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, 2003, mar a leasaíodh é, nó, i gcás leasú Uimh. 17, go bhfuil sé sriantach gan ghá.

Amendments Nos. 15, 17 and 69 all seek to require a minimum number of members of staff or commissioners in coimisiún na meán to be competent in the Irish language. It is important to set out the overarching legislative background that has been in place since the enactment of the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 last December.

Section 18C(3)(b) of the Official Languages Act 2003, as amended, now provides that the Irish Language Services Advisory Committee established under the Act shall have regard to the objective of increasing, by 31 December 2030 at the latest, the number of staff of public bodies who are competent in the Irish language such that at least 20% of staff recruited are competent.

As I have previously indicated, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is specified as a public body in the First Schedule to the Act and so, by virtue of the transitional provisions of the Bill, coimisiún na meán will be considered a public body under the Act. On that basis I cannot accept amendment No. 15, which seeks to replicate the provisions of section 18C(3)(b) of the Official Languages Act within this Bill.

Similarly, I cannot accept amendment No. 17, which would require that no fewer than 30% of commissioners and 20% of staff of coimisiún na meán would be proficient in Irish. The Official Languages Act provides the basis for an objective which applies across public bodies. I do not see the merit in seeking to apply a specific requirement to coimisiún na meán.

As the Irish language services advisory committee continues its work over the coming years, consideration could be given to requiring competency in the Irish language for one of the commissioner posts. However, it is important that we retain flexibility in this regard to ensure the widest array of candidates are available on establishment of coimisiún na meán. Accordingly, the best way for providing for that recruitment is through the recruitment process for commissioners, rather than in legislation.

Amendment No. 69 would require that no fewer than 50% of the board members of RTÉ be proficient in the Irish language. As I noted on Dáil Committee Stage, a provision of this kind would be at odds with provisions for membership of State boards more generally.

With regard to the criteria necessary for consideration as a member of the board of RTÉ, section 82 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 already provides that candidates must have “experience of or shown capacity in”, among others, “matters pertaining to the development of the Irish language”.

I do not believe that specific provision as contemplated by the amendment, over and above that already provided for, or in addition to the provisions for membership of State boards more generally is necessary.

As Deputy Ó Snodaigh noted, the new chair of RTÉ who was appointed yesterday, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, is a former chair of TG4 and a fluent Irish speaker which I think will stand to her in her new role.

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