Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Deputy Ross's question raises broader issues than those which come within my responsibilities in that it encompasses a question in regard to plurality in the media. Deputy Ó Cuív asked how soon the legislation will be brought forward. The legislation will be brought forward by my colleague, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Deputy Bruton. I imagine it is a technical and difficult issue for which to legislate. I note that the previous Government, of which Deputy Ó Cuív was a member, despite receiving the report in June 2008 had not managed to published a Bill between June 2008 and March 2011. That may be because it did not want to kick sleeping dogs as it passed or that it did not have the time to deal with the complexities undoubtedly wrapped up in this issue. We will deal with the matter as soon as we can.

I accept what the Deputy had to say in regard to the convergence of technologies. They are, as the Deputy might say, fite fuaite and that has to be taken into account in the legislation. I hope we will continue to have a thriving public sector broadcaster. I take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to RTE on its remarkable achievement as announced last night and this morning in terms of the performance of RTE radio as No. 1 in the global assessment. I hope that will continue to be the case as part of a diverse media where no particular acceptable view in society is excluded.

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