Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House, particularly as I have enjoyed the hospitality of his constituency in the recent past. I warmly welcome this Bill and the strong and vigorous defence of public service broadcasting contained in the Minister of State's speech. One or two points that he made deserve to be re-emphasised. He says decisions on scheduling are complex and are best left to broadcasting. They should not be driven by the commercial concerns of independent broadcasters. I could not agree more with that. In the context of there being a multiplicity of channels, it is important we do the maximum within our own jurisdiction to encourage programming that is related to Irish life and the need for high quality.