Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am not surprised by the nature, tone and tenor of the argument which is political cowardice of the highest order. If the French can do it, why can we not do it? This is not about just playing Irish music for the sake of it, tokenism, a contractual obligation or a box-ticking exercise. Obviously listeners have to want to hear it, but if they are not hearing it at all, how can we foster a love for Irish music, in whatever genre - rock, pop, country, traditional, folk, and so forth?

If we are to introduce a quota, it must apply during the day, as there are stations which will fulfil their obligation by playing Irish acts or having specialist Irish shows late at night or very early in the morning in order to tick the boxes.

If Irish music gets multiple plays, these will sell the music and create a positive cultural environment where jobs can be created and careers sustained. More people will go to gigs by Irish acts and those acts will have the wherewithal and the means to bring their music abroad. Many Irish acts are making it abroad having been ignored by their own radio stations. Some Irish acts have to rely on YouTube to get their message out. I have spoken to Irish performers who say they are more appreciated abroad for being Irish musicians than they are at home. I think this is a joke.

We are lucky with some of the local radio stations. Joe Cooney on Midlands Radio 3 makes a special effort to have a daily country music programme and gives Irish artists an opportunity to be heard. He takes in their tapes, CDs and everything else. That is going on every week. The same is true with Frank Kilbride and Joe Finnegan on Shannonside-Northern Sound. These people know their audience and are playing what the listener wants to hear. They are in effect showing the way. Why do our national and commercial stations not follow the same?

Many cannot break through internationally until they are given a chance by Irish radio. No one cared about Glen Hansard and The Frames until he came back from the Oscars clutching a statue, and even now we do not hear as much of him as we should. Snow Patrol had to appear on American television before they were taken seriously. Irish country music is filling hotel ballrooms and even cruise ships, yet I do not hear much of it on RTE radio. It is about time we recognised that this is an important area.

A fellow county man of mine, TR Dallas, has been at the head of this, as has the former Senator, Mr. Donie Cassidy. Everyone cannot be wrong. However, we are just little poodles; we accept everything that Europeans say. That is just a blather answer and absolute twaddle. I am asking that the Attorney General look at this to see why we cannot have the same level playing pitch as is available to the French, Canadians and everyone else. Let us protect what we have, promote what we have and be proud of what we have. We have a very sellable product. We need to give a chance to young musicians, songwriters and everyone else to make a living in our country and become national stars. When they do, of course, RTE and others want to fête them and have them on their shows.

I know of one group of six lads, the Willoughby Brothers, who are brilliant musicians. When they go abroad they are fêted. They have tried to get on an RTE programme, but have a better chance of winning the lotto. Six brothers: that is what we are left with.

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