Written answers
Tuesday, 26 March 2019
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Broadcasting Service Provision
Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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1043. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the position with regard to the recommendations of the Joint Committee on Communications, Climate Action and Environment report on the future funding of public service broadcasting; the recommendations acted on to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13743/19]
Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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In light of the recommendations in the Report of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Climate Action & Environment on the Future Funding of Public Service Broadcasting, a Working Group was set up by Government decision in July 2018 to examine options for the reform of TV licence collection. The Group's work is ongoing and it is scheduled to report to me shortly.
Additional funding for public service broadcasting was provided in Budget 2019. TG4 will receive €36.2m Exchequer funding in 2019, comprising a combination of €34.2m current and €2m capital, which is an increase of €443,000 compared to 2018. In addition, Budget 2019 provided for an extra €9.245m in additional funding to RTE and the Broadcasting Fund, of which RTE received approximately €8.6m. The Broadcasting Fund, financed from 7% of net licence fee receipts, supports the Sound and Vision and Archiving Schemes, and benefits the broadcasting sector as a whole.
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