Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive reply on those issues. I take the point made by the Minister of State regarding amendment No. 104a. I look forward to seeing the Minister's Report Stage amendment. The points he made on amendments Nos. 90b, 93a and 96b are reasonable. I welcome his proposal to amend section 101 in a similar way to my amendments Nos. 89a and a90a for which I thank him. I look forward to seeing that amendment.

The Minister of State has answered some of the questions dealing with the Gaeltacht area, Gaeilge and TG4. It was very much putting people in their places which needs to be done in certain cases. In some cases he has said that something is done through TG4 and I accept the points at which he has said that to me. My amendment No. a83a proposed to insert, "including programmes in the Irish language and programmes pertaining to Irish Culture". The Minister of State pointed to the earlier version of what was required to be presented by the broadcaster pitching for the licence, etc., with which I do not disagree. However, in certain cases it is important to have a condition following which it would present what it would intend doing with respect of the section on which the Minister of State reflected. I do not disagree with the section on which the Minister of State reflected and its provisions are as outlined by him. However, based on my reading it does not require any condition. Section 69 outlines the conditions under which these are done. In this case I want it to be a condition go mbeadh sé mar choinníol é sin a dhéanamh.

Amendment No 88a proposed to insert the following: "including the Gaeltacht and Irish language community". The Minister of State said he did not want to single out a particular section of the population. That is not in line with Government policy. The Government singles out the Gaeltacht time and again because that is the source of the language. For that reason Government policy since the foundation of the State has been supportive of the Gaeltachtaí in various ways, shapes and forms along the way. It is not good enough for the Minister of State to say he will not individualise a section.

With regard to amendment No. a90a, the audience council for RTE as opposed to the one for TG4 should contain some people with Gaeilge who should feel comfortable about dealing with that part of it. That is something we also need to consider and it is not just confined to TG4.

The first two amendments are the ones on which I feel most strongly. It is important to make special arrangements for the Gaeltacht, as I have sought to do in amendment No. a88a, which proposes to amend section 96. It should be a condition of the franchise or licence that the broadcaster should broadcast certain programmes in the Irish language. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil sé sásúil gur leor dóibh insint nó taispeáint dúinn na cláracha Gaelacha nó cultúrtha a bhéas á chraobhscaoileadh acu. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach go mbeadh sé mar choinníoll sa reachtaíocht cláracha a chraobhscaoileadh trí Ghaeilge, roimh aon cheadúnas a thabhairt dóibh siúd atá ag cur business plan le chéile whatever business plan.

It is also fairer. People can include the Irish language in their pitch. However, if we want to have a level playing pitch, just as we require broadcasters to broadcast a certain amount of news to get their licences there is no reason not to require a certain amount of Irish language. I am not talking about a large amount. However, at least when broadcasters are presenting a business plan and pitching for a licence they should all equally reflect that amount as a minimum. If some broadcasters want to do more that is their business. Tá sé tábhachtach domsa go mbeidh sé mar choinníoll go ndéanfar an méid sin. I ask the Minister of State to think again with regard to the issue that it be conditional and also that we make special arrangements for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language community.