Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I support Senator Crowe on minimum unit pricing. I have raised this issue before on the Order of Business. I cannot see why minimum unit pricing cannot be introduced at this time, when travel to the North is limited. It should not be beyond the bounds of possibility for us in the South to introduce minimum unit pricing.

I wish to raise an issue relating to local print media. We have all received correspondence from local print media throughout the country. I would like the Leader to bring to the Minister for Finance the message that local print media need financial assistance urgently. Resources have been provided to the local radio stations. There was an allocation of €5 million, in two funding rounds, to support Covid coverage but the print media have got no assistance at all. In County Mayo, there are four print media, namely,The Connaught Telegraph, The Mayo News, Western Peopleand the Mayo Advertiser. They are embedded in their communities. In a time when fake news is rife throughout the world, local communities depend greatly on the local media. They bring balance to media. We can depend on them to bring the right message, and people depend on them in that regard. It is important, therefore, that they survive. Sixteen local newspapers have closed since 2010. The local newspaper employment level is now 50% of that in 2000. Advertising revenue for 2020 reduced by 22%, and this year, 2021, has seen an even greater fall. I ask that the Leader bring a very strong message to the Minister for Finance seeking support for the print media.