William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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529. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the specific steps his Department is taking to reform and modernise the public-service broadcasting funding model, in view of the recent decline in licence-fee revenue and related controversies surrounding RTÉ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63438/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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As part of the decision in July last year on the funding of RTÉ and public service media and content, the Government decided that the TV licence system would be retained, while being underpinned by measures designed to improve collection and compliance in order to maximise revenue generation.

To this end, Government reconvened the interdepartmental Technical Working Group (TWG) on the Reform and Enhancement of the Television Licence to examine potential measures. The Group is due to report to me by the end of November, at which point I will consider their findings and decide the next steps in conjunction with my Government colleagues.

In terms of the wider legislative framework, the General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill published in April this year aims to reform the assessment of the funding needs and the performance of our public service media providers and to enhance the legislative underpinning of their corporate governance. It provides Coimisiún na Meán with greater authority to identify targets, assess performance, and hold RTÉ and TG4 to account for their performance and to recommend funding levels for both providers to Government.

The revised General Scheme was submitted to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Arts, Media, Communications, Culture and Sport for pre-legislative scrutiny. The Committee published their report on 17 September 2025 and my officials are currently examining the 84 recommendations. Following my consideration of the matter and finalisation of the Bill, I will bring it to Government for approval and subsequent publication.

William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael)
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530. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment for an updated timeframe for the full implementation of the Coimisiún na Meán’s regulatory regime for online media and broadcast content; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63439/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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Coimisiún na Meán was formally established on commencement of the Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act on 15 March 2023, and under section 10 of the Broadcasting Act, 2009, as amended by the OSMR Act, Coimisiún na Meán is independent in the exercise of its functions.

In February 2024, An Coimisiún was formally designated as Digital Services Coordinator for Ireland under the Digital Services Act. In September 2024, Coimisiún na Meán was formally designated as a competent authority under the EU Terrorist Content Online Regulation. In October 2024, An Coimisiún adopted Ireland’s first online safety code. In October 2025, An Coimisiún was formally designated as a competent authority under the EU Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising Regulation.

Having regard to broadcasters and providers of audiovisual on-demand media services, under the Broadcasting and other Media Regulation Acts 2009 – 2022, Coimisiún na Meán has responsibility for the development and application of a range of media service codes and rules that govern the standards and practices of these services. These include the Code of Fairness, Impartiality and Objectivity in News and Current Affairs for radio and television broadcasters,Media Service Code and Media Service Rules for Audiovisual On-demand Media Service Providers and the Code of Programme Standards.

Coimisiún na Meán continues to develop and implement its compliance framework on an iterative basis in accordance with the evolving regulatory regime for online and broadcast media at national and European Union level, and is independent in the discharge of its functions. Further details of Coimisiún na Meán's compliance framework can be found at: www.cnam.ie/industry-and-professionals/codes-legislation/codes-and-rules/.