Joe O'Toole (Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive response. However, I repeat that this merely constitutes half-information. For example, the Minister of State referred to freesat. He stated the RTE stations will be on freesat and will be available to people who do not have a subscription to Sky. It can be obtained on Sky without subscription at present. This kind of half-information is driving me mad. One does not even need to say "hello" to Sky. All one must do is to install a dish and a decoder and one then can receive the four radio stations throughout Europe.

I have made this point in the House many times. While I digress slightly from the point under discussion, what drives me mad in this regard is that although one also can tune in RTE television, it is encrypted. Consequently, throughout Europe one can erect a Sky dish and decoder at no cost, with the exception of the aforementioned two items, and without a contract, one can tune into BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC 3, BBC 4, ITV 1, ITV 2, ITV 3 and ITV 4, as well as every single station of every small country in Europe, with the exception of Ireland.

I have raised this issue previously and have been in dispute with RTE about it for the past four years because it insists that our channels should be encrypted. It will make all sorts of assertions about copyright when all one wants to do is to watch RTE programmes. Other organisations do this, including regional variations of ITV, such as UTV, as well as the BBC. If a match involving Celtic is being broadcast on BBC 1 Scotland, one cannot tune into it on television but can do so in some other way. My point is that the Minister of State must double-check everything he is being told by RTE.

Many people in the UK want to listen to Irish music, artists, culture and sport. I sit on the committee with some of those people whose names are on the letter read out by Senator Jim Walsh. They are disgusted with it all.

Debate adjourned.