Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the Audiovisual Media Services Directive; the implications for Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21397/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I welcome the new Audiovisual Media Services Directive which builds on, and replaces, the Television Without Frontiers Directive.

The new Directive is timely, given the need to address technological developments in the audiovisual sector and the ongoing need to maintain a balance between economic and public interest objectives. The Directive has a wide range of provisions addressing matters including; scope, jurisdiction, commercial communications, promotion of the European content industry and cultural diversity, access for people with a hearing or visual disability, access to events of major importance to society, consumer protection, and media literacy.

I am cognisant of the fact that a predictable regulatory framework is important for all audiovisual media services in this fast moving environment and work on the transposition of the Directive is underway in my Department. I am also using the opportunity provided by the Broadcasting Bill 2008, which I introduced to the Oireachtas recently, to bring forward some of my proposals in this regard.