Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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895.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the imminent decision on major funding for RTé; if she has considered its implications for the independent radio sector, specifically local radio stations (details supplied); if she considered the concerns raised by an organisation regarding the lack of workable solutions for the sector and the risk of decline in core news and current affairs services due to digital disruption and lack of fair funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30901/24]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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896.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the two journalism schemes that are to be announced alongside the funding for RTé will have dedicated funding for local radio; if these schemes will be accessible to local radio and provide the required support to protect their existing core news, current affairs, and information programme content; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30902/24]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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897.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide information on the steps being taken to address the concerns raised by an organisations (details supplied) regarding the need for substantial ringfenced support for independent radio for core news and current affairs programming, and the provision of interim funding to independent stations until the pilot schemes can be amended to ensure long-term support; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30903/24]

Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent)
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898.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht his views on the concerns raised regarding the ongoing funding of RTé, the recent reduction of VAT on newspapers and the lack of proper regulation of the social media sector putting local radio stations at a significant commercial disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30904/24]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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900.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to address concerns raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30980/24]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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933.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a response will issue to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32275/24]

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
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951.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the details of recently announced journalism schemes; if they are “platform neutral”; her views on whether they will adequately support independent radio; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33029/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 895 to 898, inclusive, 900, 933 and 951 together.

The Future of Media Commission set out clearly that public service media and public service media content should be viewed as a public good, and as such, required an appropriate and sustainable source of funding. This Government is committed to delivering the necessary reform to put in place a sustainable, funding model, and a decision will be made by the end of July.

One recommendation made by the Future of Media Commission was the establishment of a new Media Fund to provide support for the provision of public service content by the wider media and journalism sector at local, regional and national levels on a platform neutral basis. The Commission recommended retaining the existing Broadcasting Fund, which provides up to €15m per annum from TV licence receipts, to the Sound and Vision Scheme. This scheme supports public service content across all TV and radio broadcasters, including our local radio stations.

In addition to the funding provided through the TV licence, since the formation of this Government a further €28.4m in Exchequer funding has been provided to Sound and Vision, enabling increased investment in public service content for television and radio. In 2023, €16.7m in funding was awarded by Coimisiún na Meán to applicants of the Sound and Vision scheme, providing support to a range of independent producers, commercial radio and community broadcasters. In 2023, I granted an additional €6m of Exchequer funding to the fund, enabling the expansion of the funding rounds. A dedicated €2.4m round for independent commercial radio was enabled entirely through the additional funding which I provided.

With regard to the wider Media Fund, I secured €6m in Budget 2024 for new Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes. The Media Fund is being established on an administrative basis, with the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes being prioritised for implementation by the media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, this year. The Schemes opened for applications on 17th July 2024, and will close for applications on 17th September 2024. Further information in relation to the schemes can be found at the following link: www.cnam.ie/coimisiun-na-mean-launches-applications-for-new-journalism-schemes/. As the schemes are being administered on a platform neutral basis, commercial radio will be eligible to apply for funding.

I note that an extensive level of engagement has taken place with the wider media sector, including the IBI, throughout the development of the schemes. All stakeholder feedback has been thoroughly considered, and where appropriate, incorporated into the design of the schemes. My officials have consistently indicated to the IBI that the Future of Media Commission was clear that the principle of additionality should apply to any funding provided for public service content, and that schemes should not fund news and current affairs content currently being provided by the market. The Government accepted this approach and the design of the schemes reflects this decision.

Given the importance of the radio sector, at my request Coimisiún na Meán prepared a Report into the Economic Viability of the Commercial Radio Sector, which was published on 3rd May 2024. The report provides valuable insights into the revenues, costs, and profits in the sector over the past number of years, and the challenges and opportunities facing the sector which it identifies, in particular regarding independent local radio stations. The report indicates a consistently profitable commercial radio sector that has been resilient over the past number of years but that will need to adapt to changing consumption habits and modes of delivering audio content in the coming years. In that context, the report identifies the digitalisation of sound services as both an opportunity and challenge for the sector.

The Future of Media Commission recommended a Digital Transformation Scheme to help address the challenges faced by the media sector in relation to digitalisation. My officials are currently undertaking policy analysis in relation to this scheme and will consult with relevant stakeholders, including the IBI, in due course.