1. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the timeline for the replacement of the TV licence fee by direct funding from the Exchequer, managed by Coimisiún na Meán; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10148/25]
Sentiment score: 0.01
I ask the Minister to give a timeline for the replacement of the TV licence fee by direct funding from the Exchequer, managed by Coimisiún na Meán, and to make a statement on the matter.
Sentiment score: 0.03
A vibrant, diverse, financially sustainable and independent media sector is critical to any well functioning democracy. Across Europe, the TV licence model is being phased out because it is outdated and does not work. The Minister is aware that in 2022 the Future of Media Commission recommended the TV licence fee be replaced by direct Exchequer funding in 2024. The Minister's Government chose to ignore that recommendation and kicked the can down the road by means of reform. The Minister is aware that in the previous Dáil term, just last year, the media committee also officially recommended the TV licence fee should be abolished and replaced with Exchequer funding. The Government sat on its hands, again, and did nothing to progress this. Both of these bodies made these recommendations after long and considered discussions and consideration of all of the information required to make such a decision. They were not knee-jerk reactions to the multiple scandals - which are still unresolved in some cases - around governance and spending in RTÉ. In fact, the Future of Media Commission recommendation was made before any of the RTÉ scandals were unearthed. The RTÉ scandals did have a knock-on effect and there was a total reduction in revenue generated by TV licence sales for the 12-month period between July 2023 and June 2024 that amounted to a reduction of €29 million compared with the year before, prior to the scandals being uncovered. When will the reform happen? We need to get timelines on this from the Minister. I appreciate his response but this issue is not going away.
Sentiment score: -0.10
It is interesting that the Minister asks me where I would get the figures from. I have read the Minister's brief and, in the sections that detail the agencies under the remit of his Department, the annual budget for Coimisiún na Meán is blank. No figure is provided. Is the Minister considering reforming the TV licence before providing this figure or where is he at with it? It is a serious matter. Just because the TV licence is not as prominent in the headlines as it once was, that does not mean the Minister should not be paying it any attention.
Sentiment score: -0.03
3. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to give an update on and a timeline for the creation of football academies with the FAI and the League of Ireland, as contained in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10149/25]
Sentiment score: 0.10
I ask the Minister to give an update on and a timeline for the creation of football academies with the FAI and the League of Ireland, as contained in the programme for Government, and to make a statement on the matter.
Sentiment score: 0.30
Despite football being the biggest sport in Ireland, I feel it has been overlooked for too long in this country, in particular our footballing academies. The future of Irish football relies on investment, resources and infrastructure to support, build and evolve youth football. Historically, resources have not been there to give players the contact hours with coaches that are necessary. Irish clubs as a whole are fighting to survive and they need support from all relevant stakeholders, including the Government. Statistics outline the difference in training hours for a kid at an Irish club compared with its counterpart category 3 club in the UK. They fall way short. As the ages rise from under-14s to under-17s, so too do the disparity and the imbalance. Alarmingly, staffing levels for our academies are among the lowest in Europe, with ten full-time staff across 24 academies here, Poland boasting 376 staff across 16 clubs and Portugal with 315 over seven academies. Croatia, often hailed in comparison to Ireland due to its having a similar population, has 190 full-time academy staff across ten clubs.
Sentiment score: -0.01
The FAI has worked tremendously hard in recent years to enhance its reputation as a trusted and respected brand. It has an ambitious facilities development and investment strategy that commits to raising standards within grassroots and recreational football. With nearly 1,200 grassroots clubs and more than 220,000 registered players over 75 leagues, the numbers speak for themselves. Participation and the potential are ever growing. I welcome the Minister of State's contribution today, but kicking the ball down the field and delaying State funding for League of Ireland academies, as was referred to in an interview with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, last week, is not an option. As a nation, we are falling short on all fronts when it comes to recognising the potential League of Ireland clubs and grassroots football can bring. The fate of our senior international teams, both male and female, relies on our delivering a fitting future for every boy and girl who enters their own field of dreams. I implore the Minister and the Minister of State to make their mark, be the voice for youth football in Ireland and continue to support the FAI in its endeavours to harness the academies to develop a full-time football industry. I look forward to working with them both in the future to that end.
Sentiment score: 0.25