Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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64. To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will ensure any future funding model for the national broadcaster will examine the way companies such as (details supplied) and others pay nothing to terrestrial broadcasters for access to their linear channel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21823/17]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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I recognise the important part that public service broadcasters play in our democratic society and the consequent importance of providing stable and adequate funding to ensure the continued delivery of their role in this regard.

While the TV Licence system faces a range of challenges, including the current unacceptable levels of evasion, my Department is continuing to work with An Post and RTÉ so that all steps are being taken to ensure that, to the extent possible, it continues to deliver the necessary levels of public funding.

In addition, I am in the process of bringing proposals to Government for the amendment of the Broadcasting Act 2009 including a legislative amendment to provide for the tendering of licence fee collection.  In connection with this, on foot of a request from my Department, the Office of Government Procurement recently issued a Request for Information to ascertain what the market might be able to deliver in relation to licence fee collection.  A total of nine responses have been received and these are now being reviewed and the information provided will be used to inform any proposed tender that may be issued once the necessary legislative amendment is approved and in place.  

In terms of future funding models for the national broadcaster, I am aware of the issue referred to by the Deputy and it is one that has been subject to much debate in other jurisdictions, including in the UK. As the Deputy may be aware, I have requested the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment to examine the longer term issue of the future funding of the public service media and, while the scope of its deliberations is a matter for the Committee to determine, I am confident that its review will be comprehensive and thorough and will involve due consideration of all relevant issues such as that referred to by the Deputy.  I very much look forward to receiving the Committee’s report in due course, which will inform future funding policy for public service broadcasting.