Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail)

It was not meant with any sense of malice. It was just that it was unfortunate that there was not an opportunity. I am sure the Senator had perfectly good reasons for not being in the House. I said this because I do not believe it is fair to the House to go into all the arguments again. Senator Kenneally has pointed out that in the context of the amendment tabled by Senator Norris, it is not a case of either-or. The question arises as to the motive behind Senator Norris tabling an amendment specific to a particular type of radio technology which Mr. Enda O'Kane, through his very active lobbying of all sides of the House, has been promoting when there is no reference in the Bill to the alternative type which the Senator has been very much against.

To try to sum up matters, more than 800 radio stations in Europe operate the DAB system. On the references in the documents to the Danish engineer, my information is that at the highest level in Radio Denmark there is no question of DAB no longer being used. RTE's position is that it is attempting to have what is generally referred to as the industry norm. It does not want to be out of step with the European norm, which in effect means that more than 800 stations operate the DAB system.

As Senator Kenneally has said, and it bears repeating, we are moving in a technological environment that is evolving very quickly. There is no guarantee that even what is referred to in Senator Norris's amendment will be the industry norm in three, four or five years' time. Mr. Enda O'Kane has focused to a large extent on the question of community radio somehow being terminated. In other words, if there is the adoption of a particular technology, community or local radio will not be available. We must remember that the Bill refers to the setting up of various structures. There will be a new Broadcasting Authority of Ireland which will be responsible for regulating both the introduction and maintenance of the spectrum as well as the regulation of radio in this country in the digital age. To suggest at this point, in line with the doomsday scenario being put forward, that the existing radio service will no longer be available because of the adoption of a particular technology, which is not in the Bill anyway, is mischievous. I do not for a moment doubt the motives of Mr. Enda O'Kane. He is a former distinguished member of RTE's engineering staff and knows what he is talking about.

I will share with Senator Norris the fact that I do not always know what I am talking about in terms of technology. This is real technical stuff. I would love to be eavesdropping on all the so-called techies when they talk about the benefits of DAB1, DAB2 or DRM. However, in last week's Radio Times, the British equivalent of the RTE Guide——--