Dáil Éireann - Volume 506 - 03 June, 1999

Written Answers. - Local Radio Stations.

Mr. Perry Mr. Perry

25. Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the method of disposal of the £500,000 for the purpose of assistance to local radio stations where transmission costs occur; the radio station sites which incur these costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14698/99]

Mr. Bell Mr. Bell

31. Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the local radio stations which will be assisted with transmission costs from the £0.5 million provided in the estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14663/99]

Miss de Valera Miss de Valera

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera): I propose to take Questions Nos. 25 and 31 together.

I refer the Deputies to the Broadcasting Bill, 1999 the publication of which I announced on Thursday 27 May 1999.

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Section 53 of the Bill provides for the payment by me to the Independent Radio and Television Commission, to be renamed the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, of £500,000 from the Exchequer in respect of capital grants to local and community radio stations. It will be the statutory responsibility of the commission to prepare a scheme providing for the payment by it of grants to local and community radio stations for the purposes of defraying capital expenditure incurred by the radio stations on transmission. The Bill provides specifically that in considering an application for funding the commission shall have regard to, inter alia, any difficulty the radio [99] station has experienced in providing a service in the area of its franchise.

Dáil Éireann 506 Written Answers. Local Radio Stations.

Questions

19990603