Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 184: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he intends to address the issue of ownership of intellectual property rights in television programmes and formats in the forthcoming Broadcasting Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6004/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Work is continuing on the development of legislative proposals that will form the basis of a new Broadcasting Bill. The priority issues to be addressed by the legislative proposals are the establishment of a single content regulator for both private and public service broadcasters as recommended by the forum on broadcasting; the establishment of RTE as a commercial company under the Companies Acts 1963 to 2003; the provision of a statutory mechanism for future adjustments to the level of the television licence fee; and the development of the right of reply mechanism allowing persons whose reputation and good name have been damaged by an assertion of incorrect facts in a television or radio programme to gain redress.

I have no immediate plans to address the issue of ownership of intellectual property rights in television programmes and formats. However, all aspects of broadcasting policy will be considered in the development of the legislative proposals.