Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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213. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are regulations in place to ensure that smaller and local media organisations are included in advertising campaigns run by Government Departments and publicly funded bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62889/22]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The local media sector faces longer term challenges as a result of changing patterns of media consumption, technology and shifts in advertising revenue to online services. I recognise the essential role that the local media plays and the particular value of local and regional newspapers in sharing reliable and relevant local news and bringing communities together.

Since I assumed formal responsibility for the media sector in September 2020, I have met key stakeholders including NewsBrands Ireland, Local Ireland and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ).

While there are no general regulations in place at this time in relation to the placement of advertising by public bodies on local media, I would draw the Deputy’s attention to the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021, which provides that at least 20% of public bodies’ annual advertising is done through the medium of Irish and that at least 5% of their annual advertising budget is spent on Irish language advertising in Irish language media.

Furthermore, I note that on 16 September 2022, the European Commission published a proposal for a new Regulation, the European Media Freedom Act. The core objectives of the proposal are to strengthen the Internal Market for media services and to protect media pluralism and independence. The proposed regulation seeks to accomplish this by harmonising different national rules and procedures relating to media freedom and pluralism. The proposal builds on the findings of the European Commission's annual rule of law reports and on the regulatory frameworks established by other EU legislation, namely, the revised Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the Digital Services Act. The proposed Regulation contains new requirements regarding the allocation of State advertising to media, so that it is transparent and non-discriminatory. This includes a proposed requirement to ensure public availability of information on advertising expenditure by public bodies. Negotiations with Member States on the proposed regulation commenced at official level in October 2022 and will be progressed in 2023.