Pearse Doherty (Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom labhairt mar gheall ar leasú Uimh. 36a, a bhaineann leis na horduithe agus an cód. Beimid ag cur isteach cód úr a leagfaidh amach na riachtanais a bheidh ar chraoltóirí agus iad ag brú ábhair difriúla, go háirithe ar pháistí. It basically states that in the broadcasting codes we would also include the likely effect which the promotion of overtly consumerist attitudes in the promotion of commercial products within programme content will have on the target audience, particularly where the content is targeted at children.

We can all agree that this is not a major problem with RTE or TG4. However, if one looks at some of the other services or broadcasters, particularly children's broadcasters and channels, it is a problem where advertising for toys and other goods, and even for mobile phone text providers and ringtone providers, seems to dominate, and where programmes are directly linked with the selling of commercial products. This is an issue of which I am sure RTE and others are aware but it might be advisable to have it included in the text of the Bill so it forms part of the statutory guidelines.

Any parent of young children will tell of the pressures they are under when some of these other channels are involved in promoting consumerist attitudes and targeting young children. It is an issue on which we could all agree, and it could be included in the Bill.

Tacaím go láidir leis an dá leasuithe — 36b agus 36c — atá molta ag an Seanadóir O'Toole. Mar a dúirt sé, tá sé ag iarraidh cearta a thabhairt do mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus gach éinne eile a labhrann an Ghaeilge. Táimid ag dul isteach go dtí an choiste anois. Beimid ag labhairt leis an Aire, an Teachta Ó Cuív, mar gheall ar na horduithe ó thaobh Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 de. Ba cheart dúinn an rud céanna a dhéanamh anseo ó thaobh RTE de. Ba cheart chomhfhreagras i nGaeilge a bheith ann. Má bhfaightear litir i nGaeilge, ba cheart litir i nGaeilge a seoladh ar ais. Ar an gcuma chéanna, ba cheart do RTE seirbhísí teletext agus a leithéid a chur ar fáil i nGaeilge freisin. Ar a laghad, ba cheart do RTE iarracht a dhéanamh é sin a chur ar fáil. B'fhéidir nach dtarlóidh sé thar oíche. Beimid ag déanamh iarrachta é sin a chur chun cinn. Má tá rud éigin den sórt sin scríofa isteach sa Bhille, cuirfidh muintir na Gaeilge fáilte roimhe.

Bhí ar an Seanadóir O'Toole imeacht os rud é go bhfuil cruinniú eile aige. D'iarr sé orm a rá leis an Aire go mbeidh sé ag coimeád súil chúramach ar an dteilifís ina oifig chun an freagra a gheobhaidh se a fháil amach. Beidh sé ar ais.