Senator: Broadcasting levy could cost jobs

The Communications Minister is being asked to justify a levy on the country's independent radio stations of as much as €2,000 a week.

A Fianna Fáil Senator is claiming 50 jobs could be lost in independent radio stations around the country because of a Government decision on funding.

The budget of the new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland has gone up by 46% this year, with many of the country's TV and radio stations expected to pay a levy of €90,000 per annum.

Senator Mary White said Communications Minister Eamon Ryan needs to justify how the budget has risen to €7.6m.

"This levy, for some companies or some radio stations, could be €2,000 a week," Senator White said.

She said that against a backdrop of a serious fall in advertising revenue, this sum could be debilitating for some stations.

"This could seriously jeopardize their existence," she said. "50 people around the country could lose their jobs because of this."