Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)

Maybe they are some of the leftover socialists from the time of former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, who described himself as a socialist. The idea that the RTE board is a left-wing organisation is crazy. I am not on RTE very often but any time I am in its studios, I am treated with respect and as any human being should be treated. I have no complaint in that regard whatever.

The reason I am intervening in this debate is an announcement made yesterday by Cathal Goan of RTE regarding the decision to broadcast RTE programmes to the diaspora, particularly in Britain. The Taoiseach, Deputy Cowen, announced yesterday that he is postponing that project, indefinitely I would say.

The Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, supports the project and I will recap for him the history of the decision. The Labour Party tabled a Private Members' motion in the House concerning the implementation of a task force for the Irish abroad. One aspect was the broadcasting of RTE material so that it would reach the Irish who live in Britain. Very many Irish live there who were forced out of this country for economic reasons in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Most are now very old but they long to have contact with home and to be informed about what is happening here. RTE was to be the vehicle to meet this demand. For some time, the commercial channel Tara rebroadcast some of the RTE programmes but it was discontinued for commercial reasons.

I raised this matter in the House with the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, and got a very receptive response. He told me a broadcasting Bill was due and that my proposal would be contained in it. This is the Bill we are debating today. Given that I knew the gestation period of such legislation, I asked the former Taoiseach whether he would agree to producing a short Bill simply to deal with this issue. The Minster responsible at the time was the Minister, Deputy Noel Dempsey, and he was not as responsive to my pleading as Deputy Bertie Ahern. I kept pressing the matter and the former Taoiseach convinced the Minister in one way or another — I am not sure what method he used — to introduce a short Bill. He did so and the Bill had two purposes, the first of which was to deal with broadband and the second of which was to authorise RTE to broadcast outside the island of Ireland. RTE was very unfavourably disposed to the idea of broadcasting outside the island and it dug up the old Broadcasting Act and found an excuse therein for not doing so.

However, the Government and Parliament changed the law, on foot of the task force report, to enable RTE to broadcast to Britain. This was a positive development. RTE is obliged to implement Government policy in this regard. If it wants to find areas in which to make cutbacks, I will find some, as would Deputy Noel Treacy. I would save €2 million for it without any difficulty and I am sure Deputy Treacy would save €10 million quite easily in its very large budget.

At the time the legislation was considered, RTE representatives told me the proposal would cost money and would not be commercially viable. It stated it did not want to implement it. The Government, with the support of Parliament, changed the law and told it to do so. Broadcasting was to commence on St. Patrick's Day this year. Mr. Goan stated to the Oireachtas Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources yesterday morning that RTE would save money by not implementing Government policy in this regard. Will the Minister of State, Deputy Seán Power, use every bit of authority he has to address this matter? He has the full support of all sides of this House, which supported the campaign to implement the proposal that RTE should broadcast to the Irish in Britain at an early date. I ask the Minister of State to use all his authority, with the backing of all parties in this House, to make RTE reverse its decision and make €2 million in savings elsewhere. It should implement the decision that the Government changed the law to allow for in the first instance. The Minister of State is positively disposed towards this, as is the Government.

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