Ms Patricia Cronin:

We received comprehensive responses from the RFI. It will be a tender on something that is quite sensitive so we are trying to get it right, rather than rushing it. The Minister will decide what the timescale is but we are working through what we learned from the RFI. We cannot do anything until the legislation is enacted because only An Post can do it at the moment. The timeline depends on the enactment of the legislation. We have to start designing the tender documentation and go out to the market but nothing can be awarded until the legislation is enacted.

The response from RTE on retransmisssion was very comprehensive and useful. There are other entities such as Sky who have a different view so the Minister was very keen for the committee to have a full evaluation of retransmission fees to inform him as to whether something on that subject should go into the legislation.

In answer to Deputy Stanley's question, if it goes out to tender we are keen to ensure the right sort of people get the licence. Any contract would be carefully crafted to make sure there were protections for people and there would be no free-for-all. The Minister is keen that the option of paying for the TV licence through the post office network will continue in any event. An Post is as entitled as anybody else to tender for this business and it is not out of the picture.

I was asked about additional powers and they can be looked at if necessary but we will do that when we look at the tender documentation. Other questions may be more appropriate for RTE.