Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I thank the Minister for his reply. In the context of his objectives for public service broadcasting and RTE, is he concerned that currently there seems to be an atmosphere of fear and loathing in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, as some of the newspapers have characterised it? There has been a night of the long knives and there is blood on the tracks. Is the Minister concerned that recent events in Radio One have resulted in the removal or shunting to the graveyard shift of three of the jewels of public service broadcasting? Programmes removed include the major arts programme, "Rattlebag", fronted by Myles Dungan, which provided a number of years of distinguished broadcasting, and the eclectic music programme presented so brilliantly by John Kelly, "Mystery Train". The easygoing and affable broadcaster, John Creedon was moved first to the afternoon and then to the graveyard shift. Is the Minister concerned by what is happening in public service broadcasting, given the profitability of RTE and the huge salaries being paid to broadcasters? The leading broadcaster, Pat Kenny, earns almost €900,000 per annum, Mr. Gerry Ryan earns almost €500,000, Mr. Joe Duffy earns almost €300,000 and the director general earns €400,000 per annum. Is it possible that additional programming could be made available to encompass some of the programmes which have been shafted? Is RTE management trying to create a type of Radio Five in BBC terms to take on the new national talk broadcaster? We may need both a Radio Four and a Radio Five. Will the Minister ask for additional services? Is there the possibility of a 24-hour news programme? Both I and the Deputies opposite have asked many times for a Parliament programme which would cover Parliament, the county councils and all the other activities of politics, along the lines of the BBC programme.

The Minister was unclear in a reply to my colleague, Deputy Shortall, last April about other devices for receiving television such as a 3G phone or a computer linked to an LCD screen. Do such devices require a television licence according to current legislation? Will the Minister address this gap, if it exists, in the broadcasting Bill? Who will collect the licence now that An Post is not interested in doing so?

The Minister has trotted out once again an account of his belated conversion to digital broadcasting in the last days of this Government. He attended a conference a few weeks ago at which a member of the European Commission stated that the digital switchover should be well advanced by 2010 in all member states, with a final deadline of early 2012. Will he agree there is no chance that Ireland will be so advanced? The NTL-Chorus report published yesterday showed the bulk of cable television subscribers are still analogue subscribers. Just like the situation with broadband, the Government has been dilatory and it needs to take strong action. The RTE report on digital broadcasting states that analogue reception on the east coast will by 2008 be seriously affected by the UK digital roll out which is now well advanced for 2009 to 2010. The Minister needs to take strong and early action to encourage digital roll out and use RTE as the flagship.

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