Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his proposals for the use of reserve funds available from licence fees throughout the broadcasting sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8384/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to the schemes to be introduced under the Broadcasting (Funding) Act 2003. The purpose of that Act was to establish a special fund to encourage both private and public broadcasters to include additional programming of a particular character in their programme schedules. The Act provided that the 5% of the net proceeds of the television licence fee should be paid into the fund from 2003 onwards. At the end of 2004 almost €17.5 million had been paid into the fund.

The legislation, which was enacted in December 2003, provided that the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, BCI, would have responsibility for drawing up schemes through which the fund could be accessed. During the course of 2004 the BCI developed and published a draft scheme and consulted widely about it. In December, the BCI submitted a scheme to me for my approval as required under section 2(1) of the Act. The scheme will also have to be notified to the EU Commission as a new state aid. My Department is in contact with the EU Commission in this regard. Once a scheme has been approved, it is a matter for the BCI to invite applications and to make awards. I have no role in that process.

I view the special broadcasting fund as a positive initiative and look forward to listening to and watching some of the new programmes that will be broadcast on Irish radio and television services later this year as a result.