Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 498: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he intends to proceed with introducing a Media Mergers Bill separate from the Competition Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26245/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the responsibility for control of merger and acquisitions including those relating to the media in the State, lies with my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation. At present I have no function with regard to media, outside of my broadcasting remit. However, legislation is in train in the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation to significantly update the media mergers function, and transfer it to my Department later this year.

Arising from the critical role of the media in our democracy, and the potentially harmful effects of an over concentration of media ownership, this issue is a vitally important one. I have written to my colleague, Minister Bruton, in relation to the possibility of extracting the media merger-related provisions from the proposed Consumer and Competition Bill and this issue remains under discussion. The Government is committed to implementing a set of robust measures that allow for a transparent and objective assessment of the public good in media mergers cases, and to do so as quickly as possible.