Dominic Hannigan (Labour)

I thank the Leader for arranging a debate tomorrow on Northern Ireland. For his information, the new Leader of the SDLP, Ms Margaret Ritchie, will be in the building at the time and I suggest he extend an invitation to her to attend for at least part of that debate.

I am still waiting for a debate I requested some time ago about funding provided to Irish people living outside the State. Perhaps the Leader will, when arranging with the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources a debate on the issue of radio licences, extend such debate to the issue of RTE services in Northern Ireland. Post-2012 many Irish citizens living in the North will not be able to view RTE as it is moving from an analogue to a digital platform, which, as I understand it, differs from the Northern Ireland platform.. It is unclear how people in the North will receive RTE television. We need to ensure our citizens in Northern Ireland can continue to freely avail of programmes involving hurling, football and culture post-2012, which is only two years away. Perhaps the Leader will, when arranging a debate on the issue of communications, ensure this issue is also on that agenda.