Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)

The Minister is not inspiring confidence. I would like clarity on the deadline. The EU Commission has made it clear that the aim is to have analogue switched off by 1 January 2012 but the Minister has referred to 2012 in such a way as to imply this could happen some time that year and, therefore, this could happen at the end of the year. Were that the case, Ireland would be at a great disadvantage because the EU is moving ahead to ensure the exploitation of the digital dividend is realised for the economic benefit of those who can avail of it. There is an urgency, therefore, about this matter.

Is the Minister aiming to meet the deadline of 1 January 2012? What will be the nature of this process? The Minister is a key player, not a spectator. Will this process go on indefinitely or will a timeframe be set? Mr. Michael O'Keeffe, the chief executive officer of the BAI, stated in the newspapers in September, "Next month will be critical". Next month in that context was October but it is almost December now. Were the critical actions taken in October or are we in a stasis, with no progress being made? What are the stumbling blocks?

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