David Norris (Independent)

I wish to share my time with Senator Henry.

I welcome this Bill and agree with my colleague on the Government side in the glowing but well-merited tribute paid to Mr. Seán Mac Réamoinn. He was an old friend of mine, an extraordinarily professional broadcaster, an accomplished scholar and a good comrade. He was also a loyal critic of the church, which is necessary in establishments. It was important to have that dissenting voice and make these views available to the Irish public through the broadcasting service.

The last time I saw him was six months ago at the publication of a festschrift for Mr. Seán Fagan, a dissenting Catholic theologian. Mr. Mac Réamoinn was in a wheelchair and was not well. When somebody said something he did not agree with he put his hand up to reply. Even when mortally ill, he continued to make a contribution. The spirit was triumphant. He was also involved in the Merriman summer school. Although I do not wish to distort the emphasis of the debate I am glad the matter was raised and wish to pay tribute.

The last speaker referred to vulgarity, about which we can do very little. The airwaves in Ireland are penetrated by broadcasting from all over the world. In Cyprus I have more than 1,000 stations and they are almost all rubbish. I have a bee in my bonnet about competition, which is becoming a god. We see the damaging aspects of unfettered competition in broadcasting because it drives down standards. Consider Channel 4, which began as an investigative, imaginative, risk-taking channel. Now, its schedule consists of "Big Brother", celebrities and gameshows. It is twaddle. We must be careful about uncritically elevating competition to the status of a god, particularly in a world where we suffer the presence of Mr. Rupert Murdoch, even if it is only temporarily, because we are all mortal.

I am pleased the Minister referred to public service with regard to broadcasting. We must maintain this. RTE provides an excellent public broadcasting service, notwithstanding my occasional criticisms. The quality of its programming is high and it provides an opportunity for citizens to discuss the important issues of the day. This Bill extends the discussion to Irish citizens outside the country, a valuable measure.

Ireland did not have a mandate to extend this service until now and was restricted from doing so because section 28(8) prevents us using taxpayers' money in this manner. I note the collapse of Tara Television and our attempts to parachute onto it, which was not appropriate. It is better that the State involves itself directly.

I am sure my colleague, Senator Henry, will make the following point in her contribution also. Why are we stopping at television with the Bill, and would it be possible to include radio? I propose to table amendments to this end. I have a certain selfish interest as I am fortunate enough to have a little house in the mountains of Cyprus where I listen to the BBC World Service on the radio. It is very good and better than television because the constraints of television time mean political issues, such as global warming, for example, are often treated in quite a nugatory way, bounced on with a soundbite. The wireless can provide a really extensive discussion in which one may participate if the facilities are available.

I would like to see Irish broadcasting services joining this area and I would like to put on the record lobbying we probably have all received from various sources. These include those who are hard of hearing from the National Association for Deaf People, the elderly, etc., and they are all pleading for Radio Éireann.

In his speech the Minister spoke about people who will be disadvantaged when the changeover comes into effect, as they will not have access to this new digital television. What about the people who as a result of disability do not have comfortable access to television because they cannot see it? We should make provisions for such people.

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland welcomes the Bill heartily but it argues that it does not go far enough and will not meet the needs of blind people. The radio is widely recognised as the most accessible form of media, and people living with diminished sight or loss of sight find that if they do not have access to radio, they will be deprived of this unique service. The Irish Senior Citizens Parliament has indicated that as a First World country we must now provide for the introduction of digital short wave radio to Europe. The provision of a service which is easy to hear and access is of the utmost importance for older people at home and abroad.

These are very important groups and there are even more, including Age Action Ireland, the Consumers Association of Ireland, the Federation of Irish Societies and those representing Irish overseas and broadcast and research. Other interested groups include the RTE Pensioners' Association, the Irish Senior Citizens Parliament and The Senior Times. Many people who left here in the 1950s and 1960s would remember Micheal O'Hehir or Din Joe and would have tremendous sentimental and nostalgic connections with Radio Éireann. They would very much appreciate an extension to radio.

One of the submissions I received suggested a particular format. I am not well-versed in technology and I am unsure of some of the technical terms. I was very happy to receive a submission from Cathal Goan, the director general of RTE. One of the best parts of the submission was a glossary at the back where he asked simple questions on behalf of the ignorant like me and explained terms. That was really helpful.

There was a plea from various groups for the use of Digital Radio Mondale, which seems to be a technically excellent format. With it a greater audience can be reached with a stronger signal and clearer sound. In other words, there is less interference from other stations, buzzing and so on. As the technology uses less energy, it is more environmentally friendly. RTE's new long wave transmitter will be compatible with this system and the format is already being used by 32 European broadcasters.

RTE also recognises the considerable importance of the Bill, particularly the important technical dimensions relating to new digital terrestrial television technology. The point is made that there are inequalities and that people will be excluded as technology moves forward. A considerable number of people in Ireland will be disadvantaged unless we pass this kind of Bill. For example, more than 250,000 families will only have free access to the Irish channels as they are outside the areas in which free multichannel television reception is available or because their houses cannot be cabled, etc.

This Bill can assure that free to air multichannel television will not just remain a viable option for those who have chosen it already but can be extended to people who do not have it. I mentioned the placing of people at a disadvantage and an example is the 88,000 families in the Leinster area who currently receive free multichannel television showing Irish and UK stations. They will be cut off immediately when the UK services in the west of England and Wales go digital. Another 115,000 in this category will lose free multichannel reception in a staged process as the other UK areas are switched off.

It is very important we continue to reach these people and those who are abroad. I mentioned the programmes — numbering more than 1,000 — I can receive in Cyprus. We must get in there with the Irish point of view, with the national interest being served in debates on world issues. I have stated I am not great with technology, but it should be the servant of the national interest. This Bill goes a long way towards ensuring this will be the case in future.

I mentioned Rupert Murdoch, who is a bête noire of mine, and his organisations and organisations like them are fully commercial, not being a bit bothered by Irish national interest. We have already seen this with sports programming. Although I am not that desperate to watch sports programmes, I know many people who are. We must pay through the nose because rights have been bought and there are copyright issues. The BBC and ITV must pay Murdoch for some of this sports programming. New technology allows limitations on the range of broadcasts so a stipulation can be laid down that one will not receive a broadcast unless it is paid for.

Some of this may be outside the scope of the Bill but I would like the Minister to give a commitment that he will examine these issues in the context of the general schemes of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill 2006. There are great advantages to the new technology. I am not surprised this Minister, who has nearly always been forward-thinking in these matters as well as being courageous and prepared to take a leap into the future in the interests of the Irish people, has done a good job.

I question the reason the Bill is limited to television and ask if radio could be included. This would not just be for old fuddy-duddies like myself who often prefer radio to television, but also for people who may have a sight impairment and cannot access television. Many other people and I will appreciate the fact that when abroad, it is important to keep in touch with home. I am only a very partial exile as I spend some weeks here and there, but an increasing number of Irish people live abroad, in Spain or Portugal for example, for their retirement. We owe it to them to keep them in touch with their culture.