Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)

Some of the Minister's colleagues have paid so many visits to television and radio studios recently that so doing in high definition might prove to be a shock for which the public may not be prepared. Although the public has been shocked on numerous occasions, I will not go into specific instances.

Although it should not apply to the service that is being introduced, some Ministers tend to regard the national broadcasting service as their own, or as "one of ours", in the catch phrase from RTE's "Killinaskully". However, the public broadcasting service is not "one of ours". It is available to all and to both Government and Opposition in equal proportions. The current or any future Government should be made aware that any attempt to subsume the national broadcasting service is simply not on. Ministers may believe that by virtue of their office, they have the automatic right to descend on a television or radio studio to give the public the benefit of their high moral tones and values on all kinds of issues at all times. However, they should realise that such facilities must be made equally available to everyone else without exception.

For instance, a change of Government, which will take place, might come as a terrible shock to the public because they will no longer see those familiar faces continually, even in high definition. This may create withdrawal symptoms among those unfortunate Members who are on the Government benches, but who will then be sitting on the Opposition benches. There is ample scope and space for all in the broadcasting area.

While I am on the subject, this Bill does not cover local broadcasting, which is a powerful element in Ireland's communications system. In future, there will be more local television. I will revert shortly to the difference between television and the use of a personal computer or whatever for viewing programmes. However, Members should consider the direction being taken by local radio. At present there are numerous cases, in Ireland and worldwide, in which other local media outlets are investing in local radio. This is taking place to such an extent that the years are being reeled back in that the local element is being replaced in a reversion to national or international services. While this is acceptable, local radio should not be so described if it is no longer local. While this has not happened in all cases, such a tendency exists and arises from a number of factors. In common with the telecommunications sector or the information technology sector in general, at a time of low interest rates, which has been the case for some time, it is much more lucrative for investors to consider investing in utility services to make high returns.

One need only consider the Eircom saga in this respect. It is a classic example in which a utility service has been rolled over four times in the last eight years. Each time, the emphasis has been on the value of the company rather than the value of the service to the consumer. As for the broadcasting area, Members must retain clearly the objective of providing a service to the consumer, rather than for the convenience of the service provider or investor. The Minister may need to investigate this issue in respect of the broader broadcasting legislation. While I do not refer to the legislation before the House, it will arise and must be dealt with. I know this issue will be dealt with, either by the Minister or by Opposition Members after they take office, as it will be necessary to so do. While this matter will be discussed in greater detail subsequently, I believe it must be done by way of legislation.

The question of regulation and competition appears to work better in the United States than in Ireland. Perhaps the model we are using is not optimal. However, it appears that in the United States, there is provision in legislation whereby the service being provided must be adequately funded, invested and upgraded on a regular basis to ensure its continued provision to the consumer, as opposed to fattening the company or utility service for sale as an investment venture. This matter requires a great deal of attention and pertains to all of the services for which the Minister is responsible, such as electricity generation, electronic communications of all forms, the communications sector in general and the postal transmission services. They are all utility services that will become highly attractive for investments or for a quick fattening sale. However, the potential exists in all to damage the level of service that the consumer has a right to expect. I raise this point to ensure Members are on the right track. Will the Minister indicate whether it is possible to shorten the pilot project to which he referred and bring forward proposals to telescope it and get ahead of the posse rather than chase it? While I do not suggest the Minister is to blame, in recent years we saw slow starts and progress in this area. The availability of broadband is a classic example. For whatever reason, we moved from a situation a few years ago where we were at the leading edge to being second or third last in the European league. No matter what we do, unless we jump ahead of our targets and set our own standards which should leave us at the leading edge, we will not be in a position to compete effectively in the European arena. It is short and simple. The same applies to every service provided by other Departments which have the ability or necessity to utilise modern telecommunications.

I will return to the use of technology and digital shortwave or longwave transmissions. The Tara transmission and long wave transmissions from here were of major benefit to Irish people living abroad. The degree to which they will benefit from the new system is what will most interest us now.

The Minister mentioned a single set-top transposer. It should be possible to build into the technology within receivers an ability to decode automatically. The more one switches on and off boxes, transposers and various thingamajigs the more complicated it becomes. It is possible to build into radio or television receivers a system which can automatically receive and decode a signal and deal with it in any way.

Way back in the early 1980s I won a video recorder. I do not know how I won it but I remember the first prize was a Volkswagen Golf——

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