Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

I ask the Minister to have a very open view on this amendment. We tend to think in terms of adults when we talk about public service programming, but the reality is that children spend more time watching television than adults do. They are highly influenced by what they watch and the vast bulk of what they watch is foreign. A unique contribution can be made by RTE, which does provide children's programmes, to make the type of programmes that can inform children and ensure that they are not overwhelmed by a lack of some kind of identification with their own society. I know there are difficulties in setting rigid targets for RTE or for anyone else, but this amendment is framed simply to provide that the principle of public service broadcasting is included in that part of broadcasting directed towards children. Otherwise it is hard to see how it can be done. We could have lots of educational programmes that children watch, but which do not in any way relate to the Irish experience. I ask the Minister to take on board the points that have been made and the general viewpoint on indigenous programming for children. Quite apart from the jobs involved, which are self evident, there is also an issue of the child's identity and how messages are received by a child from television as to our place in the world and our own culture in a social context.

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