Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)

Deputy Stanton referred to a specialised parliamentary channel, which was also mentioned at our committee meeting. The Oireachtas is only televised on Wednesday and Thursday mornings on TG4 and on Wednesday mornings on RTE, which has its own political programme. One must then depend on the "Week in Politics", "Prime Time" or the news. Other countries have a specialised parliamentary channel. Although we are under economic constraints, we should not forget this matter. The Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas is paying people to visit schools and so forth to teach pupils about the Houses' workings. This money would be better spent were we to have a specialised television channel for the Dáil, Seanad and committee meetings. Some people outside the Houses do not even know that committees sit or what work they do. Is the Government trying to hide the House's workings? Does it not want the bad news to be televised via a Dáil channel? I would like to see this issue worked upon. Since we have a broadcasting unit, taking this extra step would not cost much money.

Does the Government plan to reduce the size of the Dáil's membership within the realm of the Constitution? It has been discussed in the media and Government circles. Perhaps the Minister will comment on that also.

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