Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

We have taken every reasonable step to ensure there should not be an information deficit. The advertisements are rolling all the time and there is a bug that occasionally makes an appearance on people's television screens warning them that they better make the move before 24 October. The booklet to which the Deputy referred, is being delivered to people's households currently by An Post and I am confident, given An Post's performance in similar campaigns or general elections, the booklet will get to every household in the country. It is an accessible guide to what people must do in order to make the switch. Deputy Collins is right in that there is a danger some people will wait until the last minute. In such circumstances they run the risk of a blank screen because in the digital world it is not that they will get a faded, difficult picture; they will get no picture. Deputy Collins asked me whether I have any contingency plan if significant numbers do not switch. I am glad he did not follow up the question but to emigrate is the only contingency plan. In the meantime we need to bring home to people that they should make the switch or there will be no television.

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