Results 28,341-28,360 of 31,374 for speaker:Eamon Ryan

Seanad: Schools Building Projects (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Senator for raising the matter in this House as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the Government's strategy for capital investment in education projects and also to outline the current position on allowing the site acquisition for a new school at Gortahork, County Donegal, to proceed to the next stage. Modernising facilities in our existing building stock...

Seanad: National Theatre (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I am grateful to the Senator for raising the matter to enable me to outline the current position on the proposals for a new national theatre. In 2006 the Government decided to proceed with the redevelopment of the Abbey Theatre by way of a public private partnership project on a site at George's Dock on a build, finance and maintain basis. This site was chosen following an extensive...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I will have forgotten about the Senator's first set of issues by the time I get to respond to them.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The amendments before the House relate to codes. The children's advertising code has already been drawn up. We are seeking to continue to develop such codes under section 42(9). Some of the provisions which have been suggested are contained in the existing codes. There are restrictions in the codes on one's ability to advertise that one can tell the future and to accrue commercial...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: People could contend that circumstances can exist whereby the truth is not in anyone's interest. Surely, in news and current affairs broadcasting, the search is for the truth. We must ensure we do not let the search for a good story get in the way of the truth. We know that in politics as in elsewhere when one is acting politically one is looking to hammer one's opponent and to make the...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: People chasing a good current affairs or news story may tend to continue on that route and thus lose sight of the truth. I am concerned about this. We must ensure news and current affairs broadcasting is accurate and truthful. Whether that is encompassed in the word "balanced" or is represented by "fair to all interests" is difficult to know. This is a matter for which it is difficult to...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: In respect of Senator Norris's point about radio advertising, the same principle applies. Radio has an even more powerful effect. The connection to the radio in our kitchen, car or bedroom is far stronger in many ways. It goes right into one's mind and is a connection that is particularly important to the Irish people. In every house in this country throughout the day and evening, people...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: No one is looking to hammer or punish an accidental breach. The Bill sets out that the compliance committee would look to the adherence of duties, codes and rules for broadcasters and it will carry out similar work to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. It will carry out random checks on an intermittent basis to see what advertising is being carried. It is not going to pick up on an...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The nature of these codes is that there is an authority that applies them. Where there are routine and flagrant breaches, it would take a certain decision. I am sure it would have ways and means of dealing with such cases. The proposed Irish film channel will also run popular and commercially successful movies which will be typically Irish. This concept came from the Irish Film Board which...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I will leave it at that then.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (Resumed) (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: The Senators make strong arguments and Senator O'Reilly's offer of visits from the Dalai Lama is a clever means of enticing me towards a certain thinking. However, this involves a principle and I do not believe it is absurd to maintain a balance in our broadcasting between obvious commercial interests and our interests which are to represent the viewing public. This involves a general...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Senators for their contributions and in particular Senator Mullen for his Italian and French translations. On his Italian comments which come I understand from Cardinal Martini, I too would like to see programming which encourages thinking, creativity, curiosity and wonder. However, I do not believe this is achieved by mandatory quotas. I disagree with the proposal in this regard...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: I hear what the Senator is saying and perhaps this is something we can come back to on Report Stage. The Senator suggests there should be a check in place, perhaps in the context of the Committee of Public Accounts or within the structures set out here, in terms of the Minister determining an annual cap. Either way, Senator O'Reilly argues that some sort of external check or reporting...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: These are minor drafting amendments necessary to excise errors and improve the clarity and consistency of the text of the Bill.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Each of the amendments Nos. 13 to 16, inclusive, proposes a range of changes in the objectives as set out in section 25. This section, by its nature, is focused on high-level goals and objectives of the broadcasting authority of Ireland, BAI, and does not dwell on specifics. Amendments Nos. 13 to 16, inclusive, seek to add specific issues or actions related to the objectives as stated but...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: On amendment No. 13, to give some specific details on the realisation of targets, RTE's subtitling coverage in 2007 was some 6,320 hours and it has given commitments, published in its statement of commitments for 2008, to increase this figure to 6,700 hours, subtitle coverage in all news, current affairs and main weather forecasts on RTE 1 and RTE 2, increase subtitling in children's...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: We will consider examining on Report Stage the provisions set out in the Bill to require the BAI to carry out a two-year review on delivery of subtitling standards and to ensure the factors in this include not only number of programming hours but also the quality of subtitling delivered. This will account for the concerns of Senator Bradford about quality as well as quantity.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: While I am generally in agreement with the views expressed by the Senators who tabled these amendments, I believe many of the issues are already dealt with in the Bill. For example, in regard to amendment No. 1, section 42 requires that the broadcasting authority of Ireland prepare codes governing the standards and practices to be observed by broadcasters. In particular, section 42(2)(g)...

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Yes.

Seanad: Broadcasting Bill 2008: Committee Stage (4 Jun 2008)

Eamon Ryan: Such regulations already exist as administered by the broadcasting authority of Ireland, BCI and such codes have been developed, particularly in respect of children's advertising codes. The Bill allows for a continuation of that system. In this case, the broadcasting authority of Ireland would be responsible for the design, monitoring and implementation of such codes. We have strengthened...