Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The issue of rights is a business matter for agreement between the producer of the programme in question and those who wish to purchase it and not one we should be delving into in legislation. Rights are an ongoing issue which will probably arise again in new, more significant legislation, namely, the broadcasting authority Bill designed to bring RTE within the remit of an expanded Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. While it is possible that the BCI, in drawing up the scheme, will take into account the costs involved, we should not intervene in a commercial transaction between the producers of programmes and those who wish to purchase them.

Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.

Question proposed: "That section 3 stand part of the Bill."