Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I welcome this section, which deals with access to archives. It is a very good provision in the Bill. In the 46 years since RTE was established it has built up quite an archive, and it is important that this be available to historians and other researchers. It is very much to be welcomed. In addition, given that RTE has some new competitors, it is important that these companies are in a position to obtain archival material. Perhaps the Minister would comment on this. For example, TV3 has a contract with the GAA to show national games and it is doing a good job, as RTE has traditionally done and is still doing. However, it is important that it be able to access archival film from some of the older matches, going back 30 or 40 years, which the producers might like to include as part of the build-up to certain games. This is the type of issue about which I am talking. I would prefer if no obstacles were placed in the way of access to archival material for reasons commercially advantageous to RTE itself. I welcome the provision in this regard, which is a step in the right direction.