Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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1000.To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the estimated cost of establishing an independent news and current affairs service within TG4, and the estimated savings resulting for transferring services from RTé, in tabular form. [33712/24]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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The Future of Media Commission recommended that TG4 should have editorial control over its news services. While any move to support greater plurality of news and broadcasting services is to be welcomed, in accepting this recommendation in principle, Government agreed that the financial and operational implications must first be considered and examined. My Department and Coimisiún na Meán, in consultation with RTé and TG4, will consider the implications of this recommendation.

Initial discussions have taken place, however, the matter is still under consideration by Coimisiún na Meán, who will then in due course submit their recommendations to me. This recommendation will also include a detailed costing, and therefore it would not be appropriate for me to pre-empt what might be decided and submitted to me. It is also important that this matter be considered in the context of the comprehensive review of Irish language services which is currently underway by Coimisiún na Meán and within the total available resources available to my Department in support of TG4.