The Minister for Communications, Mr Ahern, has said the heads of a Bill leading to the establishment of a new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland are expected to be submitted to Government in the first half of 2004.
The new body will replace the RTÉ Authority and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland.
Speaking at the first meeting of the new Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) board in Dublin yesterday Mr Ahern also said the establishment of a new public-sector broadcasting fund would be completed in the near future.
It will be made up of 5 per cent of the net RTÉ television licence fee (after collection costs have been deducted). It has been estimated that the fund for 2003 will be worth approximately €8 million.
Mr Ahern said he expected a draft of a new children's advertising code, currently being drawn up by the BCI, to be available in the new year. Included would be whatever measures the BCI thought fit in the area, including an outright ban on children's advertising, and which measures broadcasters would have to abide by, he said.
He said the BCI had outlined three phases for drawing up a children's advertising code. In Phase 1 research into children's viewing habits was undertaken, and broad headings to be covered by the code were outlined. The development of a code was the second phase, currently under way, he said.
He criticised a Green Party draft Bill on the issue, currently before the Dáil, as trying "to pre-empt this process" and said it "smacks of policy on the hoof". It would add nothing to BCI powers, he said.
He told the board that independent advisers were currently undertaking a review of local radio licensing in the Republic. They were examining the processes through which licences were awarded compared with international experience and would make recommendations on licensing for the future.
The advisers' report was expected to be completed by the end of January, he said.
