Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In that context, I would especially urge the Minister to revisit the convictions point given that those convictions may be read alongside the moral development point. I appreciate the Minister is bound by the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. I may reserve the right to find another way to look at perhaps an additional point in regard to protection from emotional harm. However, in a context where moral development is inserted and the convictions of an audience are referred to, there is a concern of a possible situation whereby there may be vexatious or worrying dynamics where media broadcasters are encouraged to filter out content that may receive complaints or not address issues that are important for certain elements of our community in Ireland because of a risk that by discussing very real and important sexual issues, for example, that they may risk complaints and we may have invisibility in regard to certain issues.A negatively balanced and framed debate is one danger and invisibility is another. I accept the Minister is bound by the terms of the audiovisual media services directive and I will not press the amendments. I urge the Minister to consider how the phrase might be set alongside the phrase in relation to convictions.