Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

In respect of amendments 99a and 103a, section 123 of the Bill provides the legal mechanism by which the Minister, subject to consent of the Minister for Finance, can make Exchequer funding available to TG4 for its public service purposes.

Section 124 provides that on an annual and five-year basis the new broadcasting regulator, the BAI, will conduct reviews and make recommendations to the Minister as to the adequacy or otherwise of public funding for TG4 to fulfil its public service remit as set out in section 118(1). In carrying out the five-year review, the BAI is required to consider, among other matters, the existing financial resources available to TG4 and the current level of public funding available to TG4. I believe that this review mechanism on implementation will ensure that sufficient attention is given to the adequacy of public funding for TG4. As such, I do not propose to accept the Senators' amendments.