Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

This is an important debate. It is important to discuss the role of public service broadcasters. Fáiltím roimh an méid atá ráite ag an Aire, go háirithe faoin ról atá ag na meáin Gaeilge ó thaobh an tseirbhís phoiblí agus an méid atá á dhéanamh acu. Labhróidh mé fúthu ar dtús.

It is worrying to hear that there will be up to 250 redundancies in RTE because the crux for public service broadcasting is finding the talent and quality of the people required to deliver it. The discussion on public service broadcasting covers a range of areas. There are television and digital services, but there are also ancillary services such as choirs and orchestras, the diverse programming on Lyric FM and Raidió na Gaeltachta, children's programming, Longwave 252 and so forth. These different services are crucial and would not be provided by a commercial provider because it would not be economical to do so. However, that is not to say they are not extremely valuable to the country and who we are as a nation.

I welcome the rationality the Minister has brought to the debate on the communications fee that was mooted. He has re-thought the matter, which is important. We intend to make submissions to the committee in that regard. I note that concerns are being raised by the National Union of Journalists, NUJ, about the quality of journalism in a post-redundancies RTE if 250 jobs are lost and, depending on where people will be lost, how it will affect the staff who remain and the quality of the services they can provide.

Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a ghlacadh an chraoltóireacht trí mheán na Gaeilge a lua. B'fhéidir nach luaitear é go minic. Sílim go bhfuil moladh thar na bearta ag dul go dtí TG4, ach go háirithe, agus freisin go dtí na soláthraithe atá ag déanamh cláir san earnáil neamhspleách. Tá scoth na gcláracha á sholáthar. The recent Celtic Media Festival awards show, once again, how high the quality of programming is, not just in Irish programming in English but also in the Irish language media programmes that have been produced. A number of awards were given recently at the festival on the Isle of Man. "Is Éolaí Mé" produced by Meangadh Fíbín Teo won an award at the event, as did "Eoin Mac Néill: Fear Dearmadta 1916". That is not uncommon. The programmes regularly win awards. The broadcasters in Raidió na Gaeltachta also regularly compete with other public service broadcasters, as well as broadcasters across the islands and come out on top. Ba mhaith liom ceann de na ceisteanna móra maidir le TG4 a ardú. Tá gá ann airgeadú ilbhliantúil a chur faoin gcraolachán poiblí sin. Ní féidir le haon eagras pleanáil stuama a dhéanamh gan chinnteacht faoin gcistíocht a bheidh ar fáil dóibh.Multi-annual funding for TG4 is certainly an issue. It is very difficult to plan with year on year funding, and we need to look at that.

Tá éacht laethúil á dhéanamh ag TG4 ar son na Gaeilge agus ar son an chraolacháin poiblí ach níl aon chinnteacht ann d'aon chineál aige maidir leis an maoiniú a gheobhaidh sé ón Aire ó bhliain go bliain. Tá go leor cainte déanta faoi seo ach teastaíonn gníomh go práinneach. I hope the Minister will act on that rather than just talk about it.

Tuigim go bhfuil na craoltóirí poiblí ag dréachtú plean straitéiseach ilbhliantúil faoi láthair chomh maith. Is maith iad na pleananna agus is ceart iad a bhreithniú go cúramach nuair a chuirfear ar fáil iad. Ní fiú tada an saothar seo ar fad muna bhfuil an tAire agus an Rialtas sásta maoiniú dóthánach ilbhliantúil a sholáthar lena chur i bhfeidhm.

On the five year strategies the different broadcasters are preparing, those of us who speak the Irish language know all about 20 year strategies. However, issues arise to do with funding and the resources being provided. I welcome the fact that these strategies are being prepared, but we need to see the Government putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to resources being made available.

Tá gá freisin le straitéis Rialtais don chraolachán poiblí agus don earnáil chruthaitheach i coitinne. Beidh sé suimiúil a fheiceáil céard a fhásfaidh as an síol atá curtha le Creative Ireland, ach ní fiú tráithnín é muna gcuireann an Rialtas cistíocht ar fáil lena fhás ar bhealach comhordaithe. Tá cumas ar leith ag an earnáil craolacháin in Éirinn ról lárnach a imirt i bhforbairt eacnamaíoch na tíre, sna réigiúin agus sa Ghaeltacht ach go háirithe. Chonaic muid 25 bliain ó shin an ról lárnach ceannródaíoch a d'imir Údarás na Gaeltachta san obair ullmhúcháin agus oiliúna do bhunú Theilifís na Gaeilge. An measann an tAire go bhféadfaí sin a dhéanamh inniu? Ní dóigh liom é mar gheall ar an easpa airgid ó thaobh Údarás na Gaeltachta.

It was visionary that TG4 was set up-----