Diarmuid Wilson (Fianna Fail)

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan. The roll-out of the new TETRA mobile communications system for use by the emergency services, including the Garda, is very welcome as it will improve greatly the ability of gardaí to contact each other in a confidential manner. However, its introduction without warning just before Christmas is causing major disruption to television reception in a large number of towns and villages in counties Cavan and Monaghan, including Clones, Cootehill, Castleblayney, Ballybay, Monaghan town, Emyvale, Mullagh and Shercock. A public information leaflet, which is appallingly vague and dismissive of the public, was published by ComReg after the introduction of the TETRA system. It places the onus on householders to rectify the problem by fitting a so-called TETRA reject or band pass filter. I understand the cost of such of a device ranges from €25 - not the €15 to which the Minister of State alluded - to €100, depending on quality, plus up to another €100 for a technician to fit it. I understand from my colleague, Councillor Shane P. O'Reilly, that a lady who is an old-aged pensioner in Mullagh, County Cavan, had to pay €184 plus VAT to have such a device fitted merely because she lives beside the Garda station and when this system was rolled out, her television reception disappeared.

The Minister of State referred to the information leaflet ComReg produced after the system began to roll out. On the front it states: "Television reception and TETRA - public information leaflet. What is TETRA?" There is no "Dear resident" or "In the coming weeks a new digital communications system will be rolled out called TETRA. It may have the following effects. If so, this is what you do. We apologise for any inconvenience caused." It might have included a telephone number where people might seek information.

I checked for myself the website to which the Minister of State alluded. It states that only people living beside Garda stations or those living in the Border area would be affected and adds: "Or if you live in the countryside". That is appalling on behalf of ComReg. It is unacceptable. No consideration was given by ComReg to ordinary people, many thousands of whom have lost their television reception and cannot afford to have these devices fitted.

Television is the only social outlet many of these people have and they follows soaps, etc. that are not shown on domestic channels. Without any notice from ComReg their television reception was taken from them. Is it not possible to fit to the actual mast some type of device similar to a TETRA rejector or a band pass filter? That would prevent the interference and relieve ordinary hard-pressed householders from having to fork out money they cannot afford during these recessionary times. Surely that is not beyond the realms of possibility in terms of technology.

My colleague, Deputy O'Hanlon, on behalf of all Oireachtas Members in counties Cavan and Monaghan, spoke to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Ryan, on a number of occasions regarding these difficulties. The Minister hopes to meet a delegation in coming weeks.

I take this opportunity to thank my constituency colleague, Deputy Ó Caoláin, who attended a joint meeting of a number of town councils approximately two months ago. I and other colleagues were unable to attend as we were attending the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly in Cavan. I thank the Deputy for relaying the information and the concerns of the councils at that meeting to his constituency colleagues.

I wish to mention something the Minister of State referred to in his speech regarding responsibility. He stated this was not the responsibility of the Minister but of ComReg. On 25 February I tabled an Adjournment matter in this House which was ruled out of order by the Cathaoirleach on the basis that the Minister has no official responsibility in this matter. Who has responsibility in this matter? These are ordinary people whose television reception has been interfered with and further financial hardship is being visited upon them through no fault of their own. Who is responsible for that? What solutions does ComReg have to this other than to ask people to fork out money that, as licence payers, they should not have to?

The TETRA system is being rolled out gradually nationwide and it will cause problems nationwide. Before many more thousands of people are affected, can a solution not be found rather than waiting until a head of steam builds up when the problem must be dealt with eventually? There is no need to cause this concern to people. I ask the Minister of State to call on ComReg, as a matter of urgency, to carry out an audit on the number of people affected by the TETRA communications system. I would like the Minister of State to investigate further the proposal I made regarding whether some piece of technology might be acquired and put on masts to prevent this interference with television reception. I would like an answer to both questions.