Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 288: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the proposed date for the publication of the Broadcasting Bill; his plans to appoint a single over-arching authority to directly regulate both the State-owned and independent broadcasting sectors on an equal and level basis; the way in which he envisages such a regulatory authority might function; his plans for distinction in the regulatory handling of the different sectors within that framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3965/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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The priority issues to be addressed by the legislative proposals that will form the basis of a new broadcasting Bill are as follows: 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; 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.

Work is continuing on developing the legislative proposals needed to address these issues, and I anticipate that the Bill will be published during the course of 2006. My intention in framing the legislative proposals is to ensure that the broadcasting regulatory environment continues to encourage the parallel development of high-quality broadcasting by Irish public service, commercial and community broadcasters.