Minister for Media Catherine Martin has confirmed that the C&AG will be assigned as the new auditor of RTÉ.This move was one of a series of recommendations, contained in the recent Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) report on governance and culture in RTÉ, that was commissioned by the minister in the wake of the controversies in RTÉ which first started in June 2023.The minister confirmed Government approval of the General Scheme of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill, which includes this assignment along with other matters, including the move to place funding schemes announced in last week's Budget for the wider media sector on statutory basis.One of these new schemes included the €6 million allocation to News and Current Affairs in Budget 2025 for the first time and will be supervised by Coimisiún na Meán.The minister said that these new amendments "will enhance accountability, transparency and value-for-money in our public service media providers, RTÉ and TG4, and establish a new statutory framework to support the provision of public service content by the wider sector."She added that the schemes will also "ensure the independence of our public service media providers from Government."In line with the recommendations of the Future of Media Commission, the General Scheme will convert the statutory Broadcasting Fund to a platform-neutral Media Fund, which will fund schemes prepared by Coimisiún na Meán to support the production, distribution and archiving of public service content."The legislation will also broaden the scope of the Sound and Vision Scheme to allow for news and current affairs, which will enable the dispersal of the additional €6 million allocated to commercial broadcasters in Budget 2025."Under the General Scheme, Coimisiún na Meán will be required to prepare a review of public service content provision every three years, the first of which must be prepared by 30 June 2026.
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