Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

That is not a satisfactory answer. A decision was made by the Oireachtas that the channel would be provided. There is an onus on the Minister to do more than say that RTE should be doing more about this. Emigrants left this country because there was no work and they are increasingly leaving now because there is no work. Yet again, they are being shut out and at a time we intend to set up an Oireachtas channel we tell the diaspora that it is tough and that even though we went through the motions and made it law, we do not mean what we said. Deputy Stagg has diligently addressed this issue until results materialised by way of legislation. It is not good enough to say that RTE has not done it yet but that it will some day. I agree with the Minister that it is a positive idea, not one that is for nostalgic reasons only, nor is it to build connections with those who were dispersed because of economic necessity. It is also a positive aspect in today's world, where we must do so much globally. Connecting with Irish people abroad is the justification for elaborate trips by Ministers around St. Patrick's Day yet it is anomalous if we cannot provide the diaspora channel they were promised.

Amendment No. 106, which was already discussed even though I was not present, sets out how this could be done. There could be checks and balances to see if RTE lived up to its obligations. If it did not, we could ascertain the reasons why and what it would need, such as additional funding. We have direct funding of TG4 for cultural and language reasons yet we cannot have the same commitment to people forced out of this country through economic necessity. That shows a double standard. Tender words are not worth a lot when the result is nothing on the ground in terms of change and delivering on a statutory commitment that binds us all.

See this speech in context