Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the amount available to the fund accruing from the television broadcasting licence; the extent to which such funds are available to or have been made available to the public and independent broadcasting sectors; the degree to which it is intended to apportion such funding in the future; if advertising revenue is expected to become a factor in the apportionment of funds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18723/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Broadcasting (Funding) Act 2003 assigned responsibility to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) to develop and administer schemes under the Broadcasting Fund, which are designed to support the production and transmission of high quality programming based on Irish culture and heritage.

The Broadcasting Funding Scheme, Sound and Vision, has been operational since 2006 and has been allocated a total of €56.3m to the end of 2008. Applications to the scheme may be submitted to BCI by radio or television broadcasters and by independent production companies. The Broadcasting Fund is funded from the allocation of 5% of the net television licence fee receipts and the allocation in the 2009 Estimate is €10.8m. The Deputy may wish to note that in the context of the Broadcasting Bill I am proposing to increase the allocation to the fund from the existing 5% of net licence fee receipts to 7%.