Charlie O'Connor (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

I do not know about that, but as long as 7,000 or so voters continue to give me their first preferences, that is all right by me. By the way, I welcome the attendance of the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Mary Hanifin. I took the opportunity last night to wish her well throughout the next demanding week. I have great confidence that she will do the job.

I am sure the young students from Cork and Belvedere College in the Visitors Gallery were fascinated by the last contributor. I am sure none of them is from Tallaght, but it is good to see such an interest in the debates. This particular debate interests everybody. Like it or not, television and broadcasting generally have become very much a part of our lives. I come from a generation that witnessed the early days of television. I can recall being in somebody's house and watching Floyd Patterson fight for the world heavyweight title in November 1956. I must have been very small at the time, but I remember it. Television and broadcasting impacts enormously, certainly in this modern generation.

The purpose of the Broadcasting Bill is to provide an up-to-date legislative framework for broadcasting in Ireland. Its aim is to establish a more flexible and market responsive model for digital terrestrial television and to facilitate the termination of the analogue service. The Bill has a number of key features which include the establishment of a single content regulator for all commercial, community and public service broadcasters in Ireland. The function will be performed by the new broadcasting authority of Ireland, BAI. Other colleagues have noted that additional features of the proposed legislation include further functions to be carried out by the BAI — regulations in respect of DTT multiplexes and the duty of the commission for communications regulation in respect of sound broadcasting multiplex and multiplex contracts, etc. Also addressed in the Bill is the right of reply mechanism, television licences and an extension of the public service remit of RTE and TG4.

A number of Deputies referred to TG4. I hope the other broadcasters are not over-sensitive about us mentioning TG4, but I can recall the work years ago of our former colleague, the late Deputy Jim Tunney. If they call me "Mr. Tallaght", they called him "Mr. Finglas". He was a renowned Minister and chairman of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party and he had a particular grá for the development of services in what was to become TG4. People such as the Minister, Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív, and others have done a great deal of work in that regard since. People might not believe that much of what TG4 does might prove attractive to me, but I spend a good deal of time watching it. I often joked in the early days that I was watching it to see the old John Wayne movies, but as the service has developed, so too has my interest in it. TG4 is particularly forceful in projecting the positive message of culture and sporting activities in Ireland. I have heard many people, certainly in the Dublin region, make the point in recent times that its sport coverage is second to none, although the coverage of sport on RTE has been very good. However, TG4 is getting right down to the ground as far as sports coverage is concerned and it should be applauded for it.

People in the know tell me the station is producing programmes cost effectively. This is an example to the rest of the broadcasting industry at a time when we are all talking about cost efficiency and value for money. I hope people in Montrose and at TV3 in Ballymount are watching these developments with interest. TG4 has made an enormous impression throughout the country and people such as the late Deputy Tunney fought the battle for its survival from the beginning. Sometimes the going was difficult because people had other priorities. However, he has been proved right and it is great credit to him and many others that this is the case.

Other speakers have dealt with the general sports coverage on all the stations. Such coverage has been very worthwhile in recent times. RTE is clearly doing a tremendous job. The coverage this year of GAA fixtures has been second to none. All the other sports coverage, including TV3's, has been excellent. While I have nothing against Sky and occasionally watch a premier league match on it — although I do not have the sports service in my house and must use other people's — a serious point must be made about support for the "free to view" concept as far as sporting fixtures are concerned. Deputy Pat Breen referred to the fact that Munster and rugby fans generally have to depend on different channels to see their heroes play. That is true of many sporting activities and has happened regarding the Irish international soccer team as well. We must continue to look at that and see whether the "free to view" concept can be maintained, regardless of the needs of the associations or the demands coming from Sky and other stations.

I hope we all support that view and I look forward to the time — just to be parochial again — when League of Ireland matches are televised live from Tallaght. The stadium there is progressing very well. I say this because I believe the Ceann Comhairle mentioned the fact, and I know I will be forgiven. The Ceann Comhairle is remembered with great affection in Tallaght for the work he did as Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism by those of us who wanted to strongly support and promote the idea of the Shamrock Rovers stadium. It is to his credit, and many others, that Shamrock Rovers will be playing in the new municipal stadium from next February. I hope the Ceann Comhairle takes the opportunity to come out because people appreciate the work he did in that regard.

As far as the Broadcasting Bill is concerned, I encourage people to continue to watch the various sporting activities. The League of Ireland is going through a doldrum period at present and it is important that we promote what it is doing. Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght will be very much part of that.

I mentioned earlier that I wanted to talk about community radio. I often hear Deputies talk about the importance of local radio throughout the country. Developments in recent years have been particularly significant in that regard. All colleagues take advantage of local radio to get their message across and to answer questions that are posed. There is a very strong network in Dublin. I was on Newstalk last night and Q104 earlier in the day. Other stations such as Country FM and 98 provide excellent services, certainly in terms of news, and I am at an age when I like to listen to some of the music.

Tallaght is the third largest population centre in the country. We no longer have Tallaght Community Radio, however, and last night there was a meeting of the Tallaght Radio Forum which is seeking to have it reintroduced. Everybody in the House is conscious of the worth of local radio and supports the concept. It is a great shame that my town, with the third largest population in the country, does not have its own community broadcasting system. I appeal to everybody who has an interest in that regard to make an effort to bring back community radio to Tallaght. I hope there will be a great deal of support for that.

Colleagues have referred to the impact of television on all our lives over the past five decades. My 6-year old granddaughter was in my office in the House for a short while yesterday and she asked if she could watch television. This is the era we live in. Television was new to my generation. We watched a few news programmes and football matches on the BBC and, as television evolved, more attractive programmes were made. However, nowadays my television viewing is restricted not only by my workload, but because I do not feel the need to sit and watch programmes. I watch programmes I would be expected to watch such as "Prime Time", "Questions and Answers", news bulletins and "The Week on Politics". I have never had the opportunity to appear on the programme but that might happen someday. I hope I will not get into trouble for saying I like watching Vincent Browne's programme every night. I hope he will not be upset. The programme uses a different format and it is often entertaining. It has gained its own niche and many people watch it every night. For those of us interested in the political system, it makes for good television.

My constituency colleague, Deputy Rabbitte, once said the audience for "Oireachtas Report" was confined to insomniacs and drunks. I do not know whether that has changed but the programme should be broadcast at a different time because more people would watch it. I have an open mind about an Oireachtas television channel. I do not know whether people would watch proceedings all day. They would watch an Order of Business similar to this morning's, which was exciting and where the Ceann Comhairle was a big star, as ever. The set pieces are always interesting and if they were broadcast, a positive message would be sent to the public but the remainder of the House's proceedings would be challenging and demanding for viewers. For example, I watched Prime Minister's Question Time from the House of Commons yesterday and it made for good television.

Many people are cynical about politicians and politics and we need to get a positive message across to them. There are many young people in the Visitors Gallery and when people visit the Parliament, they witness the good work that is going on and they are often impressed. Television has a role to play in that regard but, at the same time, I wonder about broadcasting coverage of Dáil proceeding from 10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. and how that might evolve. That will be an interesting debate.

It is also important not to underestimate the value of radio, which has been part of all our lives for a long time. Significant numbers of people listen to radio and I have referred to the importance of community radio. I listen to talk radio in the morning. I always listen to "Morning Ireland" and Ryan Tubridy, if I have the opportunity. I do not have much opportunity to listen to Pat Kenny's programme and I hope that does not upset him, but radio has an important role to play. The development of radio broadcasting must continue and I hope those who implement this legislation will take account of that.

I read reports earlier this week about the challenges presented by technology and how we must be careful about how technology impacts on young people, in particular. Intense challenges will be thrown up in future to control television content. While digital television is an exciting development and everyone supports it, sometimes I wonder where all these developments are headed. I often wonder how my grandmother might react to the types of programmes being beamed into homes, which have a negative potential. Television programmes are good when they deliver a positive message and help to educate viewers, but television can also be a dangerous medium and we must be careful about how it is controlled.

Television has also become very intrusive. Deputy Breen referred to John F. Kennedy's visited to Ireland in June 1963 and how television coverage generated great excitement. The Pope's visit to Ireland in 1979 was another milestone. When one turns on Sky News nowadays, one is almost taken into people's houses or war zones. Television has become an intrusive medium whereby one cannot sneeze without it being picked up by a camera. That presents its own challenges. Sky News uses a format where the same news stories are broadcast every 15 minutes, which is irritating, and it wrecks my head. I have time to watch a little television on the occasional night at the weekend. Sky News runs news off a machine and I do not like such news coverage. I often retreat to RTE to watch more newsy programmes and the station does a good job in that regard.

TV3 is running advertisements regarding its new midday programme. Television has taken on a new role by providing for different audiences. I try to watch a little television late at night whereas many others watch programmes in the morning. Recently I heard a woman say she puts "TV-AM" on in the background during breakfast because it cheers up everybody in the house and it can be interesting. However, I cannot get my head around the concept of people sitting down and watching television for the rest of day. They watch talk shows, followed by American courtroom series, adventure programmes and then soaps. On the other hand, these programmes provide entertainment for those who cannot leave their houses for whatever reason.

Broadcasters must take responsibility because they have a captive audience. Many people watch television all day and when schools finish for the day, many children want to watch television. Given the number of stations dedicated to children's programming, many parents try to limit the time their children can watch television. They encourage their children to do their homework before allowing them to watch television. Broadcasters must take responsibility for the programming they provide at a time many channels are beamed into homes, particularly in the Dublin region, to make sure people are not watching unsuitable programmes.

Broadcasting is regulated by a number of bodies — the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, the Broadcasting Complaints Commission and the RTE Authority. The new organisation will encompass the functions of these bodies, operate independently and, for the most part, be funded by a sectoral levy applicable to all broadcasters.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for giving me the opportunity to make my contribution on this important legislation which I look forward to supporting.

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