Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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129. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will consider a revised definition of the term "public service broadcast" in the context of the implementation of the television licence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22942/15]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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Part 7 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for public service broadcasting in Ireland and the provisions relating to the public service broadcasting corporations, RTÉ and TG4, including their principal objects. These objects provide the companies’ statutory mandates, including the specific objective of providing national, free-to-air public service broadcasting services, as well as the provision of a broad range of other additional services that are seen as fundamental to the role of the public service broadcaster. In their pursuit of these objects, the provisions in the Act subject the public service broadcasting corporations to a range of additional requirements.

These statutory objects and requirements encapsulate national policy in terms of public service broadcasting and I have no plans to amend the current position.

In relation to the funding of the public service broadcasters RTÉ and TG4, this is met through a mix of licence fee revenues, Exchequer grant-in-aid and commercial revenues obtained largely from advertising.

The rationale for providing State funding for Public Service Broadcasting is to provide an independent and reliable income flow that allows these corporations to attain their public service objects, while ensuring they can maintain editorial independence, which is especially important in the context of news and current affairs. On the other hand, independent commercial broadcasters, while bringing choice and competition to the market, are privately owned and funded companies that have entered the market on the basis of a commercial proposition.

A proportion of the television licence fee monies is available to all commercial, community and public broadcasters through the Broadcasting Funding Scheme. The purpose of this Scheme is to encourage the inclusion of additional programming of a particular character in broadcasters programme schedules. The Scheme is open to independent producers and all ‘free to air’ broadcasters. It is funded by way of a payment of 7% of net licence fee receipts, which is paid to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) in respect of this Scheme. This amount was increased from 5% to 7% under the Broadcasting Act 2009.

I remain to be convinced that the distribution of public funds to independent commercial broadcasters, beyond the supports that already exist, would represent good public or broadcasting policy.