Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

Amendment No. 45, the first Labour Party amendment in the group, relates to the same issue illuminated by Deputy Durkan, namely, whether this important legislation should include reference to the latest technology, specifically in the area of radio broadcasting. The amendment proposes to insert, in page 8, between lines 11 and 12, the following:

"(2) It shall be a duty for the Commission for Communications Regulation to establish, maintain and operate a single sound broadcasting multiplex system which reflects as far as practicable the most technologically advanced digital radio mediums such as Digital Audio Broadcasting Version 2 and Digital Radio Mondiale (DRM).".

As Deputy Durkan stated, we have received a great deal of advice from individuals working in the engineering end of radio broadcasting to the effect that the legislation should refer to the most advanced system available. I am informed, for example, that last week France decided to introduce digital radio, following the World DAB Forum's decision to upgrade to DAB 2, and will move nationally to the digital radio mondiale system. In addition, Germany appears to have decided to leapfrog the DAB system and adopt DRM. Ofcom in the United Kingdom is expected to test DRM in the old black and white television band one and results from the test will probably allow the delivery of digital radio in a manner that will use a fraction of the energy and spectrum needed for DAB 1. Irish people are used to hearing references to digital radio and DAB on the suite of BBC stations, an excellent exemplar of public broadcasting. I understand there are approximately 4 million sets in the UK.

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Browne, who informed the select committee yesterday that the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Deputy Noel Dempsey, is still in Palo Alto in California representing Ireland. I hope he will secure new business for high-tech firms here. It is a pity, however, he is not present for the debate on this important Bill which establishes a new broadcasting landscape on the technical side for the future.

For the past two or three years, the Labour Party has called on the Government to move to digital broadcasting. A number of the amendments I have tabled reflect the failure of Ireland and, to some extent, the United Kingdom to take seriously the need to make the transition to digital. The key demand of the Labour Party is that the free-to-air broadcasting service, both television and radio, will be protected in the system as it develops. For this reason, I have tabled a number of crucial amendments on this issue.

The amendments in this group refer to technical standards. The Minister argued on Committee Stage that the strength of the Bill lies in its generality and we should not be prescriptive in legislation. The Bill establishes the multiplexes and lays down a system for the digital roll-out. We will, he said, be able to work on the various standards as technology improves and develops over the next five or six years. While I have some sympathy for his argument, having listened to engineering advice, we have concluded that a standard should be set for radio and amendment No. 45 has been introduced to this end.

I commend my party colleague, Deputy Stagg, who led a long and successful campaign to have Irish media broadcast to the diaspora, particularly Irish people in the United Kingdom. The Bill places responsibility for performing this function with the RTE Authority. We can be proud of Deputy Stagg's achievement in this regard. I also commend the Minister and the Taoiseach on accepting the Deputy's arguments and introducing the legislation. I support the amendments in this group tabled by the Fine Gael Party.

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