Dáil debates

Tuesday, 26 June 2012

Priority Questions

Broadcasting Services

2:00 pm

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources the number of households yet to switch over to digital television; the proportion of relevant households yet to switch; his views on whether this number will fall significantly; if he has any contingency plan in place if significant numbers do not switch; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30795/12]

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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It is estimated that about 250,000 households are solely reliant on the Irish analogue television network. A similar number use the network for secondary televisions. These households must change to digital by 24 October or be left without access to television. Households who only use pay television platforms, which is about 81% of households, will not be affected by analogue switch off.

In preparation for digital switch over, RTÉ was required to build and make available a new free to air digital network to 98% of the population. Its Saorview digital television service has been available nationally since May 2011. It currently provides access to free to air television to almost 98% of the population and will fulfil the full extent of its coverage obligations by 24 October 2012. For the remaining 2% of the population, RTÉ launched Saorsat in March 2012. Saorsat is a free to air satellite system providing access to RTE channels and TG4. Since March 2012, therefore, everyone in Ireland can make the switch to digital.

Equipment for both Saorview and Saorsat is readily available throughout the country. I have been informed by Saorview that over 400 retailers nationwide stock Saorview approved equipment. Saorview television equipment costs from €50 while the Saorsat set top box costs around €180. More and cheaper Saorsat equipment is anticipated. To date, over 150,000 Saorview television sets and 50,000 Saorview set top boxes have been purchased.

My Department's national digital switch over public information campaign rolled out in September 2011 and provides information on what is happening, the time lines and the different choices available to upgrade to digital. This comprehensive campaign includes advertising on television, local and national radio; an analogue marker to act as a constant reminder to everyone using the analogue service to switch to digital; a dedicated website; research; a national telephone helpline; and an information booklet delivered to every household in the country by the final week in July.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

I have also introduced an outreach programme to ensure vulnerable people receive one-to-one help in making the switch to digital. Over the same period, Saorview has been operating its own information campaign. Both campaigns will ensure that there is full awareness of digital switch over well in advance of 24 October.

Initial feedback from the outreach programme is positive; people know what is happening but they are inclined to leave switching over until very close to the switch off. This mirrors what has happened in other European countries which have successfully achieved analogue switch off. On this, Saorview is advising households to upgrade quickly because the cheaper Saorview equipment might be sold out.

I would urge any voluntary organisations to contact their local champion and become involved in the national digital switch over effort. As I made clear last Thursday at the special digital switch over briefing session to which all Oireachtas Members were invited, the date of analogue switch off will not be changed. On Wednesday, 24 October this year, 120 days from now, the analogue system will cease to operate. I am confident that, by the switch off date, as a result of the national information and the Saorview campaigns and the outreach programme that is now in place, everyone will be fully aware that the analogue network is closing down on 24 October 2012 and of their switch over options.

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Minister for his response. On the information campaign, this morning I received in my Oireachtas pigeonhole a copy of the information booklet that is being circulated. What are the modalities of the distribution and will it be distributed by An Post? I am concerned that we get clarification and that we do not have a similar situation to that which pertained when we had the household charge information campaign. In other words, if we go through An Post, which is the premier door to door distributor of such material, can we be guaranteed that every house will get the booklet? There appears to be an information deficit with regard to the changeover. I acknowledge it is difficult to try to communicate a deadline in the future, as it is not an issue that is uppermost in people's minds. I am anxious that the booklet is distributed through An Post, because that provides a guarantee, in so far as An Post can guarantee, that it will be delivered to every household.

Another aspect of the information campaign is newspaper advertising. Will the information campaign use local and regional newspapers rather than national newspapers, because many people do not read the national papers as assiduously as the local and regional papers?

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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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.

Photo of Niall CollinsNiall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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What is the position with local and regional newspaper advertising?

Photo of Pat RabbittePat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I cannot answer whether there will be local newspaper advertising but we have taken great pains to communicate with, relate to and do interviews for local radio to sell the idea. They have been doing this already. In addition, the outreach programme in place is built entirely on community groups organised by The Wheel, whether the GAA, Muinitr na Tíre, the IFA or whoever. They have the information on a parish level. Each country has nominated a digital champion who has been given a measure of training on what is needed. These people, in turn, have their finger on the pulse and will know of someone living in a remote area, someone who is not technically competent or who believes that he is not technically competent to make the switch, or who might not have members of family who can do it for them. These champions are feeding back to us all the time and this is one good aspect of the roll-out programme.