Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

My position is that we have to support public service broadcasting and a whole range of media organisations in this country because in a world full of disinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories, it is important to have accurate, balanced and fair reporting. The Government will absolutely deliver a new format of broadcasting support and funding for such broadcasting and not just for RTÉ. That has been delayed and was delayed because of the events of last summer and leading into the autumn when there was controversy over what happened in RTÉ. I do not to rehearse all the details. The various Oireachtas committees have done it in real depth and detail. That process will conclude in the coming weeks. There will be another report, initiated by RTÉ, tomorrow on the governance of severance payments. The two final reports on the governance issue that are due in February will allow us to come to a conclusion of that process and set out the future payments and supports for RTÉ, and, indeed, for other media organisations, through whichever mechanism, be that through direct Exchequer or household payments or whatever other arrangement we will decide upon. We will do that. Clarity can only come when the Government has made that decision.

Sinn Féin also must provide certain clarity on what the Deputy has said today. The first question to clarify is whether the Deputy is suggesting people should not pay the TV licence fee in the interim period. If she is suggesting that, it would be damaging and dangerous because we need to keep that funding coming through. I would prefer clarity, because the Deputy seemed to insinuate it would not be the case. It would be good to get clarity in that regard.

I would have to argue that in a world where media are increasingly under threat and are finding it increasingly difficult to find funding models, Sinn Féin's position of taking repeated legal actions against various media here-----

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