Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Community and local radio stations play an important role in this country by providing information, giving local news and dealing with issues as they arise in the community. They give opportunities to people to express views and while Members may not agree with them, there is freedom of expression in this country. It is important that there should be a fair and balanced approach to how local radio stations are funded and to the levies imposed on them. There is a need to ensure they continue to provide a service and that radio stations are not on such tight budgets that they do not have the opportunity to do research on issues in their own areas or come forward with positive ways of progressing the issues that arise.

A report of the Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment in November 2017, concerning the future funding of public service broadcasting, was debated in the Dáil on 29 March 2018. I need some clarification as to how the Government sees this matter progressing and how it proposes to deal with the issue independent broadcasters have raised.