Seanad debates

Tuesday, 4 November 2003

Broadcasting (Funding) Bill 2003: Second Stage.

 

I look forward to the Minister's return to the House on Committee Stage. We have often seen Bills in the Seanad, for example, a recent Bill dealing with marine matters, where the number of amendments on Committee Stage exceeded the number of Schedules in the original Bill. When the Minister returns to the House, I hope that the community radio aspect will be addressed seriously and that he will talk to his officials about it. They may have reservations that he is breaking the original spirit of broadcasting by going ahead and taking 5% of the revenue from RTE. However, it would establish credibility within the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if they advised in favour of this course of action and argued that this would encourage community radio around the country. I speak very strongly on behalf of community radio having heard it in practice. The objectives of the Bill would be better realised by local community radio stations. That is my main reservation about this matter.

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