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

I thank the Minister for her response and for her movement on this since Committee Stage. The difficulty is that we cannot draft an amendment that creates a charge on the Exchequer; we have to go through this rigmarole of putting down these nonsensical amendments. In fairness the Minister is acknowledging the issue and putting a mechanism in place. I ask the Minister for an assurance that we will get sight of this report when it is completed and when she has considered it. No matter what the decision is I ask the Minister to give us sight of it. She has moved part of the way to acknowledge the financial challenge that is there. This is a big issue for a lot of radio stations, not only for the Minister's radio station of Shannonside Northern Sound or my local radio station but it is one for my other local radio stations: Galway Bay FM; Midwest Radio; Midlands 103; Ocean FM; and iRadio. Because of my geographic location in the middle of the country, I have five of these local radio stations that are under serious financial pressure and that are providing a vital local service. I would hope that in the process of the Minister's consideration and analysis of this and in her engagement with the new commission, we can come to a situation where those small, local and independent radio stations get a real financial break next year and the year after. I thank the Minister for her comments this evening.

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