Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important Bill. Broadcasting is a wide canvas and, were one geared up and permitted, one could speak about it for three hours. While there are a number of major issues, the Bill in its entirety is welcome. It must be passed because there are significant external pressures which I shall address.

Unless the national broadcaster is able to keep up with fantastic, sensational changes, we will be left in a backwater. RTE, in terms of its television and sound elements, has had a public broadcasting remit for years. Given the annual levy of €160 and the responsibility placed on any governing authority to direct the affairs of RTE One, RTE Two, TG4, RTE's radio stations, the Houses of the Oireachtas channel and so on, it is important that RTE be seen to be a broadcaster for all of the people. By and large, it does a good job, although it would be easy to state the opposite, as many do. It stands up well against competition from around the world. Given the intrusion of Sky News, Fox News and so on — one can watch an African station at the touch of a button — we must remember that our national broadcaster and TV3, which is also useful, although not a part of this debate, are able to compete.

As Deputy O'Connor stated, everything, every minute of every day, on Sky News is sensational. I do not have many opportunities to watch television, but such sensationalism does not appeal to me. Balanced, fair and reasonable reporting of an incident as soon as humanly possible is vital and what our broadcasters try to do. While I am not saying that Sky News, Fox News and so on do not do so, many viewers watching the sensationalism get the impression that there is never another side to a story. Good, bad or indifferent, it was a remarkable red flash. Our broadcasters should not go down that road.

For many years I was critical of RTE in one respect. Anything concerning the regions was placed on the back burner until changes were made in recent years. Regional correspondents have made a considerable difference. For example, the programme "Nationwide" encompasses many of television's good aspects. It is predominantly a good news programme rooted in communities around Ireland to pick out the best actions that local communities take to better themselves. This is an important aspect of radio and television coverage that acknowledges the traditions and values of people across the country without being confined to a particular area. A sister programme is more or less engaging in the same type of reporting within Dublin city. It is important that we have more broadcasting of this kind.

None of us wants to be a harbinger of bad news, but sometimes there seems to be a bias in radio and television coverage towards bad news stories. Unfortunately, there is a great deal of bad news in this big, bad world, but there is also plenty of good news. There should be a balance and RTE is beginning to get it right. The viewership and listenership have as many choices as there are people. It must be difficult for the controller of programmes in any television network to always get the balance right. Obviously, it is not always right, but controllers are doing better than they have for a long time.

Television is a powerful medium. The new governing body will need to consider the question of images portrayed to children. I am long past the stage where my children watch programmes like "The Den" and so on, but my grandchildren are watching them. I cannot discuss too many of them because I do not watch them, but many of them are good. One can rest assured that "Bob the Builder" is entertaining, has an educational aspect and portrays the right image to young children. However, there are programmes on television at times when children can watch them that are not suitable for them. We must be careful to control such programmes in order that what children view is good, entertaining and educational, as much of what many children do is picked up from television.

Concerning advertising, I have a bee in my bonnet about all programmes that highlight the use of alcohol. I accept the principle that every mature adult should be able to act on his or her own behalf. I am not interested in censorship. However, the overly glamorous advertising of alcohol is playing holy hell. It now appears that one cannot have a social gathering without the most beautiful people drinking to their hearts' content and that everyone should aspire to be like them. Nothing could be further from the truth — if people could see how the advertisements are put together. During the coming years we must be vigilant in preventing such advertising from continuing.

In the past few days I heard some of my colleagues refer to the major problem of obesity. It is a greater problem than we thought it would be five or six years ago. Dubious food products which I will not name are being highlighted. These are extraordinarily fatty foods — rubbish and trash. We must have a leveller because if the advertising of these foods continues, we will have to place a health warning on them, similar to what is carried on cigarette packets. It could state that if one were to eat the particular food product, one would not be doing oneself any good. If it was practical to do so, I presume advertisers would want to change their ways.

I refer to the relationship between the national broadcaster and local television and radio stations. I am lucky to be in the House as long as anyone and have seen dramatic changes. I distinctly remember the night Teilifís Éireann came on the air, a momentous occasion in our house and I assure Members it was not our own television set. It meant a new step forward for Irish society. Ten or 15 years ago we had the advent of local radio services. I have heard no Member suggest this was a bad development. Local radio services have an outstanding connection with people within the franchise area. Irrespective of what happens, an accident, a funeral or the opening of a new library, the local radio station has the news in ten minutes, sometimes in ten seconds. Local radio stations have become very professional to the extent that most newscasters and public affairs debates are as good as any carried by the national broadcaster. The level of professionalism is significant; the same goes for local television services but these have not spread as far. It is a costly job.

It should be in the remit of the new broadcasting authority to strengthen ties. I understand some 5% of the television licence fee revenue will be made available for certain projects, an important development. No one likes paying a licence fee if one can get away without paying it and given the programming available, we hope the fee is value for money. It is important that local radio stations such as Galway Bay FM do not feel isolated. These local stations should receive help for certain projects under the national system. Whether we believe €160 per year is good or bad value, an issue on which everyone has a view, it should be paid and collected once it becomes law. I was a member of the Committee of Public Accounts and remember a number of debates during which we discovered that it was extraordinarily difficult to have a system of collection that was value for money. I do not think the current system does this but it is important that the message be communicated that those who do not pay the fee are spongers. In effect, by non-payment they ensure neighbours will have to pay more next time. This is an unfortunate development and the people concerned are nothing short of spongers.

I am not blessed by fluent in Irish but I am very impressed with TG4. From small beginnings the station has reached a level of professionalism that stands comparison with any station of its size and status elsewhere in Europe. One does not have to be fluent in Irish to enjoy TG4. When it started, it showed Gaelic football, hurling, camogie and ladies football matches which have brought a huge audience to the station.

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