Results 3,461-3,480 of 4,404 for speaker:Liz McManus

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: This happens and I really feel it should not happen. As it is already in law, we are perpetuating it. Instead of doing things better, we are doing them the way they were done in the past. One of the problems with legislation is that it is written in very obscure language and it is difficult for people to connect with it. Stating that we must do this because it is in some other piece of...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 102: In page 124, between lines 33 and 34, to insert the following: "(2) At all times practicable save other than for operational and maintenance purposes that RTÉ use the maximum power levels as sanctioned by the ITU and licensed by ComReg in the case of an LF broadcast transmitter serving the island of Ireland and or Irish communities abroad.". I was asked to table...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: That is not a satisfactory answer. A decision was made by the Oireachtas that the channel would be provided. There is an onus on the Minister to do more than say that RTE should be doing more about this. Emigrants left this country because there was no work and they are increasingly leaving now because there is no work. Yet again, they are being shut out and at a time we intend to set up...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: Celebrity boxing is more important than the diaspora.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 103: In page 124, after line 47, to insert the following: "(2) RTÉ shall provide and maintain LF broadcast infrastructure capable of operating at the full allocated power as licensed by the ITU and ComReg being an emergency service across the island of Ireland its offshore islands and territorial waters.".

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 104: In page 125, to delete lines 43 to 47 and substitute the following: "(3) The Minister, with the consent of the Minister for Finance may from time to time pay to RTÉ such an amount as he or she determines to be reasonable for the purposes of defraying the expenses incurred by RTÉ in pursuance of its public service objects, subject always to RTÉ being in compliance...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 106: In page 126, to delete lines 15 to 20 and substitute the following: "(2) The Authority shall in each year carry out a review of the extent to which a corporation has during the previous financial year fulfilled the commitments stated in an annual statement of commitment for that financial year and the adequacy or otherwise of public funding to enable the Corporation...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I have similar concerns to Deputy Coveney's. The provision of digital terrestrial television services, DTT, has become a tangled issue. It is of necessity a complex issue but I am concerned it is complicated by the number of players involved. There is the unknown entity which will replace Boxer, the commercial interest, RTE, ComReg, the BCI, the new authority and the Minister. Apart from...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 112: In page 130, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following: 130.—(1) This section applies where provision contained in any agreement relating to the use of private property ("property agreement") has the effect of imposing on the occupier a prohibition or restriction under which his choice of— (a) the person from whom he obtains digital television services, or...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: For clarity, does the Bill published by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform deal with this issue? If not, Members must deal with it here.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I trust the Minister and I will withdraw it.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: For the moment.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) (17 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I support the proposal outlined in Deputy Coveney's amendments. None of us can devise the perfect system, but that does not mean we should avoid the issue. I imagine that the current system of television licence fee collection dates back to a time when many households did not have television sets. It might have been appropriate then, but that is no longer the case. If we do not address...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I support Deputy Coveney. I regret the fact that the Minister is not dealing with this in any way that recognises the problem, which is that we have an antiquated system. Twenty per cent of the people do not pay at all, while 52 people have ended up in jail for non-payment. There are advertisements that inform us that 18,000 households are visited every month. I do not believe that for a...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: Is the Minister comparing us to Denmark and Germany?

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: So they tell us.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 133: In page 143, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: "(2) Where a holder of a licence for his or her normal place of residence is temporarily resident for a period not exceeding 3 months in another place in the State, he or she shall not require a licence for the possession of television apparatus in that other place.". I have spoken to this amendment already.

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: Amendment No. 148 seeks a specific amount allocated to facilitate the growth of community radio. I do not want to labour the point because we debated this earlier in the context of community television. In dealing with public service broadcasting, the Minister quite often states that we need Irish stories told to Irish people. I do not disagree with that point. If one considers the kind...

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I move amendment No. 148: In page 153, line 29, after "fees" to insert the following: "including a specific amount allocated to facilitate growth of community radio".

Broadcasting Bill 2008 [Seanad]: Report Stage (Resumed) and Final Stage (18 Jun 2009)

Liz McManus: I thank the Minister for taking the time to consider the points that have been made. The alarm bells went off when this proposal was originally discussed. Some of the concerns that continue to exist have been outlined by Deputy Coveney. I propose to refer to a note I have received, which relates to certain legal issues that may arise. I appreciate that the Minister may refute the...