John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources when he expects to publish his legislative proposals for the broadcasting sector; the extent to which he expects to interlink the public and private sector and to ensure good value and a high standard for the consumer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13828/06]

John Browne (Wexford, 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; 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 on developing the legislative proposals needed to address these issues is continuing. The Minister anticipates that he will bring the proposals to Government in the coming months, with publication of the broadcasting Bill in 2006. The Minister's intention in framing the legislative proposals will be to ensure the broadcasting regulatory environment continues to encourage the parallel development of high quality broadcasting by public service, commercial and community broadcasters.