Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

The Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007 puts in place a flexible framework for the licensing of digital terrestrial television, DTT, into the future. The Act provides for the establishment of a free to air DTT service to replace the existing analogue terrestrial services offered by RTE, TG4 and TV3. The Act also provides for the development of commercial DTT services, which are anticipated to provide further choice to those who wish to avail of additional channels to the Irish free to air channels. The current model proposes that RTE operate a single public service multiplex which provides access to the free to air Irish TV channels and that the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, BCI, will offer licences for three commercial multiplexes.

Under the Act, RTE, BCI and the Commission for Communications Regulation, ComReg, have obligations to provide for the roll-out of DTT and to assist in the development of a plan for analogue switch off. The public service multiplex, being provided by RTE, will carry the existing RTE One, RTE Two, TV3 and TG4 channels and will have the potential to carry a further four public service television channels. RTE has already significantly progressed the roll-out of the public service multiplex and has indicated that services can be launched on a phased basis starting in autumn this year. It is expected that the first phase of DTT services will provide coverage of about 85% of the country.

On 7 March 2008, the BCI issued a call for applications for the award of a contract or contracts in respect of the operation of three national commercial DTT multiplexes and received applications from the following three consortia: Boxer DTT Limited, a consortium comprising a Swedish company, Boxer, Communicorp and BT Ireland; One Vision - a consortium comprising Eircom, TV3, Setanta and Arqiva; Easy TV - a consortium comprising RTE and UPC's parent company, Liberty Global. On 21 July 2008 the BCI announced its intention to enter into contract negotiations with Boxer DTT Limited for the award of the three national commercial DTT multiplexes.

On 20 April 2009, the BCI announced that Boxer DTT Limited had withdrawn from contract negotiations. Boxer cited prevailing and anticipated economic circumstances, in addition to challenges in agreeing the terms of a contract with RTE Networks Limited, to the satisfaction of both parties, for the provision of transmission services by RTE Networks Limited. The BCI has now approached the One Vision consortium with a view to entering into contract negotiations for the award of the three national commercial DTT multiplexes.

The BCI has confirmed that it is committed to pursuing the development of DTT services in Ireland and will continue its work in that regard. The Minister has no plans, at this time, to re-evaluate the process by which a commercial DTT licence is granted and expects RTE to deliver on its public service obligations. The switch off of the national analogue broadcasting system is planned to take place by 2012 and will bring major benefits by the reallocation of valuable wireless spectrum for other use. In this regard the Minister is closely monitoring the progress made by RTE, ComReg and the BCI in relation to the development of Irish DTT services.

A working group has been established - comprising representatives from the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, RTE, BCI and ComReg - to begin work on planning the steps necessary to achieve analogue switch-off. The Minister is cognisant of the fact that most European countries expect to switch off analogue services by 2012 and he remains committed to meeting this deadline so that Ireland can continue to compete at an international level in the broadcasting and broader communications markets. Both RTE and the BCI are also aware of the importance of meeting this deadline.

See this speech in context