Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

The amendments in group 18 require RTE and TG4 to address in any code of fair trading practice developed under section 112 of the Bill the issue of the duration and exclusivity of rights that they propose to acquire when commissioning programme material from independent producers. Amendment No. 192 reduces from 18 months to 15 months the timeframe for RTE and TG4 to develop their codes.

Amendment No. 196 requires RTE to co-operate with independent producers in the marketing of programmes commissioned by RTE outside Ireland.

Amendments Nos. 208, 209 and 212 address the issue raised by Deputies in the Dáil in respect of RTE's ability to take up and fund part completed programmes which it did not originally commission, within the context of the independent programme account in section 116. In essence these amendments revive the original wording used in section 4 of the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Act 1993.