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The Supreme Court rejected on 2 February 2001 an appeal against a High Court decision on the awarding of a broadcast licence. The High Court had upheld the decision of the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) to award a Dublin "youth" radio licence to a consortium called "Spin FM". A rival consortium, "Storm FM" had claimed that there was objective bias against it on the part of a member of the IRTC. The IRTC member had made inquiries to the garda (police) regarding reports of drug abuse in a nightclub owned by a member of the "Storm FM" consortium. The garda responded that they endorsed...

The Broadcasting Bill 1999 was passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas (Parliament) and signed into law on 14 March 2001. It paves the way for digital broadcasting. It makes provision in Part II for the supply of programme material, including transmission by digital means, and for the establishment of a transmission company (s.5) and a multiplex company (s.8). It also covers digital content contracts (s.12) and electronic programme guides (s.16). Part III deals with standards in broadcasting. The Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC), established by statute in 1988 to regulate the...

On 23 March, a High Court jury in Dublin resolved a libel action in favour of RTE, the national public service broadcasting station. The station had been sued by a well-known politician, Beverly Cooper-Flynn. The case arose from RTE news broadcasts in June-July 1998. The politician, a former bank official, claimed that the news items meant that she had instigated a tax evasion scheme. The jury decided that RTE had not proved that she had induced the third-named defendant to evade tax. They also found, however, that RTE had proved that she had advised or encouraged a number of other persons to evade...

On 29 January 2001, the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC) refused to allow Ulster Television to take over County Media. Ulster Television (UTV) broadcasts in and from Northern Ireland and is part of the UK's Independent Television Network. County Media is the owner of three independent local radio stations in Cork, the second largest city in Ireland. Under section 6.2 of the Radio and Television Act 1988, the IRTC must have regard inter alia to the character, expertise and experience of the applicant. It must also have regard to the desirability of having a diversity of services...

The legislation in Ireland, which regulates the content and supply of videos, is the Video Recordings Act 1989. That Act designated the Film Censor's office as the regulatory body to deal with videos as well as films. The Film Censor has power to classify videos according to age and to refuse certificates for the supply of videos if their content is such that they may inter alia corrupt viewers or incite to crime. The Act, however, does not extend to video games. Initially, this omission did not pose a problem. More recently, developments in the content and range of video games have given rise...