John Whelan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chairman and welcome all the delegates. I am glad of the opportunity to speak and I will be as prompt as I can. It is important that we respect each other and do not come in here forearmed with preconceived positions, although we do. We must divest ourselves of those on both sides. It is important to have a healthy strain or tension between both sides. As a poacher turned gamekeeper, and a politician myself, I do not think I will ever get enough or sufficiently fair coverage. That is the nature of the beast. I am a fan of "Oireachtas Report" but it is never good if I am not on it. To be fair to the programme, one would want to be an insomniac, a political anorak or a glutton for punishment to stay up until 1 a.m. to watch it. The scheduling of "Oireachtas Report" is unfair if one is trying to suggest that it is being taken seriously or is a serious presentation of coverage of proceedings in the Oireachtas on the day.

I will now move on to the question of regional bias. There are favourite places in the world for RTE. There seems to be an obsession with some places such that no matter what happens in them it is covered ad nauseam, but what about parts of our own country? As an island nation we cannot be insular and must take a world view. However, I would prefer to see the concentration of resources on regional coverage, which is stretched to say the least. Many events are covered if they take place in the vicinity of the capital, but comparable events elsewhere are not. That situation needs to be examined and addressed.

The comparison between Irish Water and RTE in terms of scrutiny, accountability and the taxpayers' subvention is not an unfair analogy. People pay €160 a year for a television licence so we are entitled to expect the same level of public scrutiny. In the case of RTE, if people do not pay the licence fee they are hauled up before the courts. That is something I would favour for water charges, too. We are entitled to expect the best gold-standard from RTE and the same level of scrutiny.

I support Senator Paschal Mooney's one-man band campaign to preserve and protect long-wave radio. It is a bit rich for the State broadcasting company and for us to be bandying about the diaspora and emigrants and yet cut one of the few links they have with the country in terms of sport and current affairs. The long-wave service is worth the money it costs and it should be protected.

There has been a change, even in the mood in the room. This morning politicians have decided to go forward with the ballot box in one hand and the box of chocolates in the other, rather than confronting RTE head on, with a view to trying to get better results. My biggest crib this morning is with RTE. I am a member of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. The Houses of the Oireachtas communications unit has put huge effort and resources into developing Oireachtas television. If we are discussing political balance, coverage of current affairs and the proceedings of the committees, the Seanad and the Dáil, it is shameful that RTE continues to refuse to provide a platform for broadcasts from the Oireachtas. Let me say to Mr. Bakhurst that RTE is looking for more money. It sought €1 million which has now been reduced to €500,000. Essentially RTE has tapped the Oireachtas, which is essentially the taxpayer, in order to broadcast the Oireachtas TV channel, which is being broadcast by RTE's rivals Sky, UPC and Eircom and is available through the Oireachtas streaming.

Let me put it to the Chair that this is not a good policy decision. I accept that the board does not interfere with day-to-day programming, rightly so, but from the policy perspective, I put it to Ms Doherty that this should be revisited by RTE. As the State broadcaster, contingent on the subvention that the taxpayer pays through the licence fee, it would be great to see the Oireachtas TV channel, which has been developed to a high level in terms of production values by the Houses of the Oireachtas communications unit and staff, made available on SAORVIEW. RTE should not be looking for more money in order to do this.