Feargal Quinn (Independent)

I was approached by Dóchas, representing such organisations as Gorta, Trócaire and Concern, which said there was a need to recognise the global picture. That is rather different from the multicultural attitudes of which Senator O'Meara has spoken. It is the concept of Ireland's experience in the international context. They suggested – there is something to be said for it, so I ask the Minister to consider it – that they would like a formulation about fostering understanding of the global dimension of Irish society. Perhaps the Minister might be able to consider including that in some form when he is examining the suggestion from Senator O'Meara. I understand her point, but this is slightly different.

I would like to address amendment No. 4a which I have tabled. It refers to a matter I raised on Second Stage. I have no problems with excluding news programmes from the Bill's scope, but I have a big problem with extending that exclusion to cover current affairs programmes. This Bill is all about public service programming. It is an attempt, which I fully support, to level the playing field for programmes that might otherwise get squeezed out of broadcasting schedules by commercial considerations. I therefore do not altogether agree with what the Minister said, since it seems to me that, if a programme is going to attract a very large audience, it does not need any support by virtue of being a community programme. My point is that current affairs should be included. The Bill does not cover current affairs, but one aspect should be included. As drafted the subsection undermines the point I made about commercial concerns.

I ask the Minister to consider one type of current affairs programme, namely, investigative journalism, or documentaries as one would say in radio and television. These are programmes with a missionary intent, or with the aim of achieving something. They come about when a programme maker identifies a scandal that has been swept under the carpet, or a story that has been ignored in the ordinary scheme of things. The programme maker sets out to investigate the facts. The Minister mentioned earlier that Senator Mooney and Senator O'Meara's sister can confirm that it can take a full day to prepare 30 seconds of a programme. A programme maker who sets out to produce an investigative programme will face a long and expensive process. It can take a great deal of effort to uncover something that has been covered up, deliberately or otherwise, by the mists of time. Legal considerations may have to be pondered and expensive advice may have to be sought.

Given that the long road to producing an investigative documentary is strewn with many pitfalls, it is not very surprising that not many such documentaries are produced for radio or television. The cost structure of broadcasting is such that the production of an investigative documentary may not provide a satisfactory return on a broadcaster's investment. The reality is that investigative documentaries are an endangered species. They will not survive because they are expensive.