Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

The position must be monitored, regardless of who is in power. After all, democracy can be a fairly tender flower.

I will not say too much about "The Late Late Show" other than to remark upon the fact that when he appeared, Senator Harris succeeded in winning the debate. Last week on RTE radio and television programmes, the Minister for Education and Science tried to make a number of good points regarding his position on the budget. On two occasions, once on radio and later on television, the interviewers involved were more intent on getting their messages across rather than listening to what the Minister had to say. Is such behaviour appropriate for those employed by a national broadcaster?

On the controversies that probably gave rise to this debate, there is an acid test as to whether television programme content is appropriate. Last weekend, I changed channels following the end of a certain programme and came across the "Podge and Rodge Show", which was not particularly funny and on which Lee Sharpe, a former Manchester United footballer, was being interviewed. I rarely see the programme in question but I was shocked by the explicit nature of the content. I asked someone, whose views I consider more liberal than mine, about the programme and was informed that they did not find it funny either.

I do not intend to be prudish about this matter. However, where profanities, expletives or explicitly sexual comments are made on programmes, people should ask themselves whether such remarks would be acceptable if they were at a family gathering or in mixed company. There is a need to maintain standards. In my opinion, such standards have been lowered to a significant extent. The position is similar to that which obtains in respect of the print media, particularly in the context of competition from abroad. When such competition arises and when standards in other jurisdictions fall, those in this country tend to follow suit. In my view, the standards of our national broadcaster have fallen considerably.

The failure in this area does not lie just with the broadcasting media, it also rests with the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources and the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland. When it is instituted, I hope the broadcasting authority of Ireland will address this matter and ensure there will be adherence to some level of standards in the area of broadcasting. This will ensure the objectives contained in the codes laid down by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland — for which the broadcasting authority will in future be responsible — will finally be observed and valued.