Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I would like to remind the Leader that when we raised the Ó Cuanacháin judgment yesterday we were not seeking a debate on what the judges were doing or seeking to interfere with what might happen in the Supreme Court. It is a very simple request. We believe the State should pick up the bill for the Ó Cuanacháin family. That is really the only issue we can debate because the Leader is right in saying it would be inappropriate to discuss the court case while it is ongoing.

The question of the reception abroad of RTE broadcasts was raised in the House yesterday, and it is an issue that I have touched on many times in the House. I have a file, two feet high, built up over the past 15 years relating to people looking for short and long wave as well as satellite reception and arguing that RTE is the only national radio station in Europe which is encrypted on satellite, etc. I appreciate the reasons behind Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú's point yesterday, but I do not agree with his solution. I believe the solution is not and does not need to be to maintain medium wave, which is not a very good reception. Long wave is clearer, carries all the stations the Leader mentioned as well as religious services on Sunday mornings and all the sports at other times of the day when they are not available on FM. Long wave is also clear. It can be obtained on the car radio, from Edinburgh to Brussels. It is a much clearer reception.

Rather than focusing on RTE maintaining the medium wave service, the Government in its support for emigrant groups in the UK, should provide a long wave radio service to them from Ireland. It would mean they could get a clearer reception, the cost would be small and this is something we could do. We might also examine the possibilities of broadband radio, which is now available for less than €100 and is easier to use than an ordinary radio. It means they could listen to Radio Kerry, Clare FM or any of the local stations around Ireland, just at the press of a button. The issue raised by Senator Ó Murchú was very important and he is right, perhaps, in saying people might not be able to change over to any new arrangement. We should support emigrant communities in making better radio reception available rather than trying to maintain the current system.

I congratulate the IFA and the Minister for Agriculture and Food on an issue that many Senators have raised over recent years, namely, Brazilian beef. It is a major victory for Irish agriculture and I congratulate the lobbying powers of the IFA. This is a classic example of lobbying groups doing something which is good for the country as well as for themselves. It must be recognised that the Minister has supported them all the way and I said as much when she was in this House some months back.