Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 113: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he intends to encourage the State broadcaster, RTE, to provide one or more television and radio channels to be broadcast without advertising, along the lines of the BBC, in return for the current licence fee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5804/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Section 114 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 outlines the principal objects of RTÉ and Section 98 of the Act provides that it shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects. As the Deputy is aware, RTÉ is funded through both a Grant-In-Aid for a proportion of broadcasting licence fee receipts and through the commercial revenue it generates. Such a dual-funding mandate is necessary for RTÉ to adhere to its principal objects in a country and marketplace of this size.

That said, I am pleased to inform the Deputy that RTÉ's new digital terrestrial television service, Saorview, is carrying two television stations without advertising on its platform – RTÉ News Now and RTÉjr.