Communications Minister Eamon Ryan today announced the publication of the new Broadcasting Bill.
The Broadcasting Bill will significantly change the broadcasting landscape in Ireland. A detailed and comprehensive legislative proposal, the Bill seeks to deal with virtually all aspects of regulation and provision of broadcasting in Ireland. The Bill represents a consolidation of almost 50 years of Irish broadcasting legislation and repeals key Acts that date from 1960.
Commenting on the new legislation, Minister Ryan said, “This is a modernising Bill designed to meet the needs of Irish broadcasting as we enter a new era of media and regulation.
In essence, the Bill aims to level the playing field of the broadcasting market in Ireland and place greater emphasis on the needs of viewers and listeners.”
The Bill was approved by Government following a wide-ranging and informed debate, much of which was carried out through the e-Consultation process. It is the first such legislation to undergo such widespread consultation and rigorous scrutiny prior to its introduction. “Such scrutiny and consultation will hopefully facilitate the more timely passage of the Bill through the Houses of the Oireachtas”, the Minister said.
The Bill provides for the establishment of a single content regulator, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, which will assume the roles currently held by the BCI and the BCC, as well as a range of new functions. These new functions primarily relate to the oversight of public service broadcasters.
The Bill also amends legislation regarding public service broadcasters and the allocation of public funding. It modernises and revises the legislation relating to RTÉ and TG4 and sets up the framework for two new public service broadcasters – an Irish Film Channel and Oireachtas channel.
The Bill introduces a number of proposals to protect the interests of viewers and listeners. This includes a ‘right of reply’ mechanism whereby individuals who feel their reputations have been damaged may have this corrected in a further broadcast. There is also provision for the establishment by RTÉ and TG4 of Audience Councils to represent the views of listeners and viewers.
The Bill proposes some new approaches in relation to codes and rules for broadcasting in Ireland, in particular relating to food advertising aimed at children. “This is something which I have long advocated and is a welcome development”, said the Minister. Other pertinent proposals relate to the modernisation of radio licences including the option of ‘fast-tracked’ applications, licence enforcement, legal definitions regarding TV licence and contract awards.
A number of appointments to the boards of the new Authority, RTÉ and TG4 will be made following the recommendation of the Joint Oireachtas Committee dealing with broadcasting matters. “I am pleased”, the Minister said, “to grant to my parliamentary colleagues from all sides the responsibility of appointments to such important boards. This marks a new departure in the power and roles of the legislature and the executive in Ireland”.
Minister Ryan concluded, “My key focus was to ensure the broadcasting sector delivers on the needs and wants of the viewer and listener. For this to occur we need an appropriate and fair regulatory structure, which mandates the Authority to work with everyone in the sector to achieve this.
I am confident this Bill represents a balanced, innovative and modernising approach to broadcasting in Ireland and that it will serve our needs for many years to come”.
ENDS
Copies of the bill and explanatory memorandum are available online at the following link: - http://www.oireachtas.ie/documents/bills28/bills/2008/2908/b2908s.pdf
For further information, contact the Press Office at:
Tel: 01 6782441
Fax: 01 6782739
Email: press.office@dcenr.gov.ie
Foilsiú Reachtaíochta Tábhachtaí don Earnáil Chraolacháin á Fhógairt ag an Aire Ó Riain
Baile Átha Cliath, 14ú Bealtaine 2008
D’fhógair an tAire um Chumarsáid Éamonn Ó Riain inniu foilsiú an Bhille Craolacháin nua.
Éireoidh athrú suntasach ar thírdreach craolacháin na hÉireann as rith an Bhille Craolacháin seo. Togra mionsonraithe cuimsitheach atá san mBille a thugann faoi nach mór gach gné de rialúchán agus de sholáthar craolta in Éirinn. Comhtháthú den reachtaíocht um chraolachán in Éirinn thar bhreis agus 50 bhliana atá ann agus aisghairtear leis príomh-Achtanna ón mbliain 1960 anuas.
Ag tagairt dó don reachtaíocht nua dúirt an tAire Ó Riain: “Bille chun nuachóirithe atá anseo agus é deartha chun riachtanais craolacháin na hÉireann a shásamh agus muid ag tosnú ar ré nua dos na meán agus dá rialú.
“Go bunúsach is é atá faoi mBille ná páirc imeartha an mhargaidh craolacháin a dhéanamh mín cothrom agus breis béime a chur ar riachtanais an lucht féachana agus an lucht éisteachta.”
Thug an Rialtas a bheannacht don reachtaíocht seo tar éis díospóireachta fad-réimsí eolaí, an mhór-chuid di trí mheán an phróisis um ríomh-Sheirbhísí Comhairliúcháin (r-Chomhairliúchán). Seo an chéad uair do chomhairliúchán chomh fad-réimseach agus do iniúchadh chomh dian a dhéanamh um reachtaíocht dá leithead sular tógadh isteach í. “Tá súil agam go gcabhróidh a leithead de iniúchadh agus de chomhairliúchán le rith an Bhille go tráthúil tríd Tithe an Oireachtais,” arsa an tAire.
Foráiltear san mBille do rialaitheoir amháin um ábhar craolta, Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann (UCÉ). Glacfaidh an UCÉ chuige féin na gnóthaí atá ag Coimisiún Craolacháin na hÉireann (CCÉ) agus ag an gCoimisiún um Ghearáin Chraolacháin (CGC) maraon le raon feidhmeanna nua. Baineann na feidhmeanna nua le craoltóirí seirbhíse poiblí a mhaoirsiú, ach go háirithe.
Faoin mBille leasaítear an reachtaíocht a bhaineann le craoltóirí seirbhíse poiblí agus leithdháileadh maoin an phobail. Nuachóirítear agus athchóirítear ann an creat reachtúil do RTÉ agus do TG4 agus bunaítear ann creat le haghaidh dhá craoltóir seirbhíse poiblí nua – Bealach Scannán na hÉireann agus Bealach an Oireachtais.
Nua-thionscnaítear roinnt tograí faoin mBille chun leas an phobal éisteachta agus féachana a chaomhnú. Orthu san tá meicníocht um “cheart freagartha” a thugann deis dóibh siúd a shíleann go ndearnadh clú-mhilleadh orthu le linn craoladh cláir go gcuirfí ar an gceart é le linn craolta eile. Foráiltear freisin do Chomhairlí Lucht Éisteachta agus Lucht Féachana a bhunú ag RTÉ agus ag TG4 d’fhonn ionadaíocht a dhéanamh ar thuaraim an phobal éisteachta agus féachana.
Moltar roinnt chur chuige nua san mBille maidir le cóid agus le rialacha um chraolachán in Éirinn, maidir le bolscaireacht um bhia agus í dírithe ar pháistí ach go háirithe. “Is fada dom á mholadh seo agus sílim gur chóir fíorchaoin fáilte a chur roimh an bhforbairt seo.” Ar na forálacha eile tá tograí chun an córas ceadúnaithe um raidió a nuálú – mar shampla féadfar do shealbhóirí ceadúnais reatha um chraoladh raidió go dtabharfar tús áite dá gcuid iarratas amach anseo d’fhonn gnó agus costais neamh-iomchuí a sheachaint.
Déanfar roinnt bhall a cheapadh ar na boird ag an Údarás nua, ag RTÉ agus ag TG4 de bharr moltaí an Chomhchoiste Oireachtais um Chúrsaí Cumarsáide. “Tá áthas orm,” arsa an tAire, “freagracht a bhronnadh ar mo chomhghuaillithe parlaiminte ó ghach taobh as ceapachán chuig boird chomh tábhachtach seo. Léirítear ann tionscnamh nua i gcumhacht agus i ngnóthaí ag lucht an reachtais agus ag lucht an fheidhmiúcháin in Éirinn.”
Chríochnaigh an tAire Ó Riain le: “Sain-dírigh mé ar chinntiú de go bhfreagraíonn an earnáil chraolacháin do riachtanais agus do mhianta an lucht féachana agus an lucht éisteachta. Chuige sin caithfear creat rialaithe iomchuí comhréireach a chur ar bun a thugann údarás do Údarás Craolacháin na hÉireann cur chun oibre le gach aon duine san earnáil chun déanamh dá réir.
“Tá iontaoibh agam as an mBille go léirítear ann cur chuige cothrom nuálaíoch nuachóirithe ar chraoltóireacht in Éirinn agus go saothróidh sé ár gcuid riachtanas go ceann blianta móra romhainn..”
CRÍOCH