Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

I agree with the remarks of Senator Norris on this matter. When one talks about quotas and percentages in this context, one has to understand the subtleties involved if one is to understand what this is really about. We need to be sensitive to the differences among the people we are trying to cater for. The valid point has been made it is important to assess such people's needs. If one asks older people what they want to watch, one might be surprised by the results one gets. When I sit down with people over the age of 65 in my house or in other houses, I find it incredible to observe that their tastes are not too different from my own. Some of the programmes they like to watch, such as "The Weakest Link", are not shown on RTE. People of all ages watch "The Weakest Link" to try to answer the questions and see what Anne Robinson will say to the contestants.

Similarly, soap operas cross many divides. It is hard to define the age group at which any given soap is aimed. I ran into rocky territory when I spoke about "Fair City" when I was a member of the Joint Committee on Health and Children. Those involved in "Fair City" thought I was complaining about product placement. I had not noticed the picture that was in the newspapers. If I had, I would have complained about product placement. I was complaining about the fact that a young pop band that had been brought into the programme, to boost its ratings at that time, was shown to spend most of its time in a bar. I pointed out that there is more to life than standing in a bar with a glass in one's hand. Given that soap operas are watched in houses throughout Ireland every day of the week, we should avail of their ability to transmit positive subliminal messages to young people.

I admire programmes such as "Nationwide" that focus on matters of local interest. Senator Bradford spoke about the importance of documentaries. We need to reflect on the roles of news and current affairs programmes, soap operas and quizzes. Senator Mullen suggested that RTE's orchestras be used for classical "prom" concerts. We spoke earlier about whether heavy metal is appropriate for people over the age of 65. Other forms of music are insufficiently exploited. We are paying for the RTE symphony and concert orchestras, which are not given enough opportunities to display their wares as often as they could. If the approximately 100 members of the National Symphony Orchestra were to break into groups of three or four, they could give the benefit of their experience to at least 25 schools at a time. Television programmes like "Nationwide" could document such work. Grannies, parents and children would watch such programmes. It would be as valid as any other event.

We need to consider the scheduling of programmes aimed at people over the age of 65. While I think the programmes they require are being made, they are not always shown at appropriate times. A number of programmes of this nature are broadcast at the same time on Saturday evenings. Most people would like to enjoy programmes like "Casualty", "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" and "Winning Streak", but they are shown on three different stations at the same time. When one turns on one's television at the same time on Sunday evening, one might find there is nothing on that interests one. We need to ensure that programmes are scheduled in a balanced manner. We should focus on variety, as much as possible. That is sometimes the biggest problem.

The fundamental thing I would say about the three amendments before the House is that they demonstrate the value of doing research. I suggest that much of our programming is good enough, but the best programmes sometimes collide. The manner in which programmes are scheduled is often as important as the programmes themselves.