Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)

Le tamall fada anois, bhí reachtaíocht ar chlár oibre an Rialtais faoi chúrsaí a bhaineann le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta - Bille Údarás na Gaeltachta. - ach níl sé ann anois. Nach bhfuil sé in am é a thógáil ar ais ar an liosta gearr-thréimhseach ionnas go mbeidh seans ag Údarás na Gaeltachta cabhair a thabhairt do Foinse toisc go bhfuil an nuachtán ar tí dúnadh?

Second, I understand that after completion of the substantial Broadcasting Act, the Minister has power to make directions in respect of protection of diversity. Given the collapse of the right of Irish people to enjoy sport, and the near-monopoly conditions emerging in sporting rights and their allocation, what is the status of those ministerial orders which the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is entitled to make in order to protect diversity and the right of free-to-air broadcasting?

My first question dealt with the disappearance of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Act. It was there for years as a kind of ghost. Nobody knew why it was there. It was an up-the-airy-mountain kind of legislation. Foinse is now on the point of closing. Now is the time, if the Údarás were interested in extending its remit into publication, to ensure at least a newspaper in the Irish language.

My other question is much more serious. I was in a minority in this House in holding the view there was a danger, when Mr. Murdoch said he would use sporting rights as the battering ram to achieve monopoly in broadcasting. I was assured there was no danger. I understand there is a capacity in the Act which has just been passed for the Minister to act to protect the right of the Irish people to have a certain amount of free-to-air access to sporting events, in order to prevent monopoly. I understand that is also in compliance with European thinking. Do we just sit back and let the monopoly roll over us? Is that the broadcasting policy?

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