Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

We are not talking about the medium or long term in terms of tidying up this area. The Bill will be before the House in a reasonable time. However, if what Deputy Ross fears or anticipates happens, then current powers ought to be adequate if the political will exists to intervene. In my direct experience going back over the years, it is political will that has been absent. Although there are some 11 recommendations in the report to modernise the legislation, to acknowledge we are now dealing with a convergence of media that was never the case before, the measures that are in place in the legislation provide adequate power if the political will is there to implement them.

I assure Deputy Ó Cuív there is no intention that the switch to digital should mean it will go outside the hands of the State broadcaster. If the commercial revenue was there and if in better economic circumstances there might be the possibility of additional multiplexes in terms of some of the private sector companies renting space and so on, that is something I would not be averse to considering. However, there is no question of the existing capacity going outside.

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