Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
609. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if there are plans to allow Coimisiún na Meán fund media companies that cater for the Irish diaspora abroad [14616/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraCoimisiún na Meán currently operates several funding support schemes aimed at assisting the media sector at a local, regional and national level and enhancing the production of high-quality content that reflects Irish culture and identity, while also safeguarding the availability of public-interest journalism and news and current affairs programming essential to maintaining an informed society and promoting a healthy democracy and a thriving media sector.
The Sound and Vision Scheme awarded over €14.2m in funding to support 160 audiovisual projects in 2025. In addition to this, almost €15m in funding was announced by Coimisiún na Meán in January of this year to support high-quality journalism and news and current affairs output and to assist media organisations in the digital up-skilling of existing staff and the modernisation of technology and digital infrastructure.
The Revised General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill, which was approved by Government in April 2025, provides for the conversion of the existing Broadcasting Fund into a statutory Media Fund through which funding support for the wider media sector will flow.
The Revised General Scheme provides for a requirement to ensure that public service content funded under a scheme, in so far as practicable, is available to the people of the island of Ireland and the Irish community outside the island of Ireland. Furthermore, when designing and developing a new funding scheme, Coimisiún na Meán will have regard to the need to develop and support public service content that is diverse, accessible, inclusive and representative of the people of the island of Ireland and Irish communities outside the island of Ireland.
The Revised General Scheme further provides that regulated media outlets in Ireland and other EU Member States will be eligible to apply for funding under schemes administered by Coimisiún na Meán.
Coimisiún na Meán, as an independent body, will have responsibility for the design, administration, and operation of Media Fund schemes and the discretion to determine the scope and eligibility of funding initiatives. It is the prerogative of An Coimisiún to conduct research and consultation to determine potential areas where support is required and to inform any recommendations and proposals for future funding schemes.
As Minister, I support the continued provision of support for the production of high-quality content that is of a cultural value, that protects the integrity of the information space and that serves to inform, educate and entertain.
