Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The amendments in group 13 relate to sections 61 and 62. Section 61 empowers the BAI to require a broadcasting contractor to allocate broadcasting time for announcements for and on behalf of any Minister of the Government in the event of a major emergency. The amendments to section 61 extend this requirement to networks located in the State which distribute, transmit or retransmit broadcasting services to the public, for example, cable systems.

Section 62 precludes persons who have been convicted of an offence in respect of illegal broadcasting under wireless telegraphy legislation from being awarded a sound broadcasting contract for a set period. The amendment to section 62 addresses the concerns that the exclusion period of five years is too long and may act as a disincentive for a pirate operator to regularise his or her position. In that regard the amendment reduces the exclusion period to 12 months.