Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the position regarding the broadcasting Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27880/05]

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 that will form the basis of a new broadcasting Bill include the establishment of a single content regulator for commercial, community and public service broadcasters; the establishment of RTE as a 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; 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. The legislative proposals will ensure the broadcasting regulatory environment continues to encourage the parallel development of high quality broadcasting by Irish public service, commercial and community broadcasters. I expect to be in a position to bring proposals to Government later this year, with publication of the Bill in 2006.