The Labour Deputy has been appointed to head the Arts, Media, Communications, Culture & Sport Committee.
The Portroe native describes the role as a real privilege and is looking forward to starting the invaluable work the committee will do.
“This is a very powerful committee – it’s a committee that has a huge workload ahead of it. Lots of legacy issues such as Public Service Broadcasting, obviously the role in funding of RTE, issues in relation to disinformation online.
“Lots of issues in relation to sporting organisations and the difficulties in the Arts sector.
“So I’m looking forward to meeting with my fellow committee members and going through the work programme for this year and the years ahead.”
The importance of local newspapers and radio stations is going to be a key focus for Deputy Kelly.
Disagreements over speaking rights in the Dáil has led to a significant delay in the establishment of the various committees.
Alan Kelly says it’s important that they get down to work as a matter of urgency.
“One issue which I really think we need to deal with is the issue of funding for regional papers and regional radio stations. They do such great work but ultimately we need to get more funding and change funding streams in a modern society so that we can maintain very good local and regional newspapers and also radio stations because they provide such an important benefit to local areas and the public.”
