Slice of licence fee for commercial broadcasters

Commercial operators will be entitled to apply to a licence fee-supported fund for the provision of radio and television broadcasts on Irish culture.

The scheme, announced today by the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, will allocate 5 per cent of the annual television licence fee to finance the initiative.

Mr Ahern said the scheme would aim to improve adult literacy and provide programming representative of the diversity of Irish culture.

Legislation establishing the fund will be published today. RTE and independent production companies will be eligible to apply for grants from the fund.

Pending the establishment of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland the fund will be administeredby the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and it will transfer to the former once it is up and running.

The establishment of such a fund was one of the conditions attached by Mr Ahern prior to his granting of a #&8364;43 rise in the licence fee in late 2002.

The licence fee now generates up to #&8364;178 million annually. 1.16 million television licences were sold in 2002.