Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Public service media is critical to a well-functioning democracy, but is also essential for cultural development, social cohesion and wellbeing. As such, it requires a funding model that provides long-term certainty, is sustainable and, vitally, protects the independence of media providers.

Such funding is not only crucial for our public service broadcasters TG4 and RTÉ, but also for the independent producers and the wider national, local and community broadcasters who are currently supported through the Sound and Vision Scheme.

A range of options have been considered through which this funding can be delivered, and, as I have stated previously, what matters is that the option which Government selects is sustainable, publicly acceptable and protects media independence. This Government is committed to being that one that implements this much needed change. High-level discussions on the various options open to Government, including that recommended by the Future of Media Commission, have continued to take place over the past year.

As An Taoiseach stated in the Dáil on Wednesday last, a decision will be reached this month on what a sustainable model for public service broadcast funding looks like. It is to be noted that any change to the model will require an implementation period, both from a legislative and administrative perspective.

In the interim, I continue to urge everyone who is required to have a TV licence to purchase or renew and enable the continuation of this important funding for our public service media. Not only is it the law, but it supports a wide range of public service content created by the independent sector for a number of other broadcasters, not only RTÉ . TV licence receipts support not only RTÉ but also the wider broadcasting sector such as TG4 and the radio sector who are supported through the Sound and Vision Scheme.