Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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534. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on actions taken by his Department in response to the Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media Report on “Future business model plans and long-term vision for the media sector” published in July 2024. [2462/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Many of the recommendations of the ‘Future business model plans and long-term vision for the media sector’ report, published by the Joint Oireachtas Committee (JOC) on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media of the 33rd Dáil Éireann, reflect actions being taken by my Department or measures which will be delivered as part of the Programme for Government 2025.

In terms of the JOC’s recommendations regarding funding for public service media and public service content providers, in July 2024 a multi-annual public funding arrangement, through a combination of TV licence receipts and Exchequer support, was agreed for RTÉ. A key aspect of this decision was the provision of certainty of funding which would enable the organisation to plan on a multi-annual basis for the delivery of its strategy, New Direction, and ongoing organisational reform. A total of €225m public funding is to be provided to RTÉ this year.

Looking to the medium-term, the General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill published last October will enhance the system of assessing the performance of, and funding for, RTÉ and TG4. It will give Coimisiún na Meán greater authority to identify targets, assess performance, and hold RTÉ and TG4 to account for their performance and to recommend appropriate multi-annual funding levels for both providers to Government. This is one of the key measures being undertaken to implement the Programme for Government commitment to ensure stable, sufficient funding for RTÉ and to continue to support the growth of TG4.

In line with the Programme for Government commitment to ensure that the corporate governance model in RTÉ is open, transparent and appropriate to its public service mandate, the General Scheme contains measures to strengthen the authority, role and functions of the boards of RTÉ and TG4 and to assign the Comptroller and Auditor General to audit RTÉ’s accounts.

The JOC made a number of recommendations to support community and regional content and digital development and digital transformation. In this regard, the Programme for Government commits to a range of funding measures to support independent media, including strengthening the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes and ensuring accessible funding to support the provision of objective news and current affairs content.

In 2025, €10 million has been allocated to continue the Local Democracy and Courts Reporting Schemes, and to develop two further schemes, the Digital Transformation and News Reporting Schemes. In addition, €6 million has been allocated to support news and current affairs reporting by commercial independent broadcasters;

As the independent media regulator Coimisiún na Meán will lead the design and administration of the existing and new schemes and measures.

To underpin all new and existing funding schemes for the media, the General Scheme contains provisions to convert the statutory Broadcasting Fund to a platform-neutral Media Fund, which will fund schemes prepared by Coimisiún na Meán to support the production, distribution and archiving of public service content by the wider media sector to be made available free of charge to the general public. In terms of the wider framework to support audiovisual production, the Programme for Government also commits to continuing the section 481 film tax credit to support film and unscripted productions.

The General Scheme will also allow for the implementation of a number of the JOC’s recommendations on access and inclusion by strengthening the independence and role of RTÉ and TG4’s Audience Councils, and by ensuring that the needs of under-served audiences, such as communities underserved by virtue of their geographic location or due to disability, are fully taken into account in Coimisiún na Meán’s reviews of public service content provision and of the performance of RTÉ and TG4.

As regards the JOC recommendations to promote the Irish language, the Programme for Government commits to support the expansion of broadcasting licences for mainstream Irish language radio stations which focus on young listeners, to continue to support the growth of TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta, and to support an increase in RTÉ’s Irish language content. One of the key measures in the General Scheme is the provision that a minimum of 25% of all content funded through the proposed Media Fund must be in the Irish language.