Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

For the first time the Minister has conceded that this process may not work out. If that happens the Minister says the BAI will be responsible for finding a way forward. I reject that. This is the Minister's responsibility. It is his obligation to ensure that we can have analogue switch-off by the end of 2012. He should not try to transfer responsibility to the BAI.

Is it realistic to set a date for RTE to provide free-to-air digital terrestrial television, DTT, services in the absence of an agreement on commercial DTT, given the significant funding implications of free-to-air television? Why has the Minister decided to set a date for free-to-air DTT in the absence of an agreement, or even an understanding, of where we are in terms of commercial DTT? He knows one is reliant on the other.

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