RTÉ will be entitled to apply for funding from an €8 million scheme designed to stimulate the production of independent television and radio programmes about Ireland.
The special fund will be financed by a 5 per cent levy on the RTÉ licence fee, which was increased last November to €150 per year.
The Minister for Communications, Mr Ahern, said the levy was designed to give a "shot in the arm" to independent television and radio producers. He confirmed that An Post had told the Government it wanted to leave the television licence collection business. This was a commercial decision and he indicated the Government would not oppose it. RTÉ did not want the contract to collect the fee which would have to go to public tender in any event, Mr Ahern said.
Mr Ahern published the Broadcasting (Funding) Bill yesterday. It specifies that the fund will be administered by a special unit within the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI).
While the regulations governing the quantity and quality of programming would be developed by the BCI, the Minister will have the power to make an order to amend or revoke the scheme.
Mr Ahern said the BCI would probably have to recruit additional staff, but said the Bill empowers it to receive €400,000 per year, or 5 per cent of the levy, to manage the scheme. "I believe that this money will assist in providing radio and TV programming which will be uniquely Irish - programming that will hold up a mirror to ourselves, society and the Ireland of today," he said.
While Fine Gael welcomed the Bill, its communications spokesman, Mr Simon Coveney, said a portion of the fund should be set aside to finance subtitling initiatives. "While some progress has been made in improving the level of subtitling in RTÉ, we still have a long way to go before we provide an acceptable level of subtitling of Irish television programmes. It makes sense to offer independent television broadcasters, i.e. TV3, financial assistance if we are to require them to meet subtitling targets."
The Bill specifies that the fund should be used to produce new television and radio programmes specifically on Irish culture, identity and experience. This included "history, the natural environment, historical buildings, folk, rural and vernacular heritage, traditional and contemporary art, the Irish experience in European and international contexts" as well as programmes in the Irish language.
In addition, the Bill said the fund could be used to finance television and radio programmes to improve adult literacy, including programmes in Irish. It also makes money available to archive programmes made by independent stations. The Minister said he would introduce the legislation next week in the Seanad. He hoped it becomes law by the end of the year,
An RTE spokeswoman said it accepted the fund and would apply for funding under the scheme. "We are anxious to see a clear and transperent professional scheme to meet the vision outlined by the Minister."
