Media mergers legislation a priority, says Minister

MINISTER FOR Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton said he is anxious to push ahead with the legislation covering media mergers.

“I have spoken to the Attorney General and it will get priority drafting,” he said.

Mr Bruton said the reason for the delay was the other priority legislative measures which he was introducing in the House.

The Minister was responding to Longford-Westmeath Labour TD Willie Penrose, who stressed that he was not motivated by the fact that the ownership of Independent News Media might transfer from one oligarch to another.

However, he was deeply concerned by the fact that an undue concentration of media ownership, in all its various manifestations and diversity, could be in the hands of a particular individual, corporation or undertaking.

Mr Penrose said he was extremely disappointed at the slowness of the progress, amounting to “clear and unnecessary foot-dragging” on the part of the previous and current governments in implementing the concise recommendations of the advisory group on media mergers.

That report had been completed in June 2008, he added.

Mr Penrose said the legislation would have to deal with the definition of media business, which should clearly encompass the internet.

Mr Bruton said he could assure Mr Penrose that there were strong criteria in place to deal with a media merger should it come to his attention.

There was no doubt, he added, that the new criteria, set out by the review group, were crisper and included a more structured consultation being required of the Minister.

“It is my intention to have a proper consultation process in place as I recognise the need for it in such an area,” he added.