Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I am taking suggestions on board as the Bill progresses and I am sure there will be further amendments. I agree with Senator O'Toole that it is very important for us to recognise there are obligations on independent commercial broadcasters just as there are with public service broadcasters. Each broadcaster has access to a valuable public commodity in the spectrum which can be used in a range of different applications outside of broadcasting. With that allocation of a public resource, there come public obligations. One of these obligations is that the employment conditions and career opportunities in the area are progressive. I have a real concern that in the radio sector in particular, which has smaller stations, it is difficult to get the scale in a newsroom or a current affairs producer's environment where experience and talent is being developed on a long-term basis but that is what must be done to be successful in radio production. Money must be put in to human resources to build up a pool of talent. A two-tier type system cannot be allowed to develop. Independent radio may become an area where a person would start his or her career, get experience and then look for better pay and conditions, possibly in public sector broadcasting where I understand the conditions are typically much better.