Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am very disappointed that the Cathaoirleach has ruled out of order my motion on RTE's decision to terminate the 252 long wave transmission. While I respect the Cathaoirleach's decision, I want to tell RTE I am not letting go of the matter. As a news broadcaster, RTE monitors everything that goes on in the House. I intend to raise it at tomorrow morning's meeting of the Committee on Transport and Communications and I will request the support of my colleagues, which I believe will be forthcoming, in inviting RTE to come before the committee to explain its terrible decision to terminate the 252 long wave transmission. RTE tried this some years ago but was stopped in its tracks. Now RTE has got it in under the radar and the Minister is acquiescing in it by refusing to come into the House to give his response to this outrageous decision that will have a very adverse effect on the Irish diaspora in Britain.
It is unacceptable to state that only a small percentage of people are listening. How does RTE know? RTE says people have other platforms, but many people, Irish and otherwise, listen in their cars, travelling throughout England. I have received an extraordinary level of reaction to the decision from colleagues, friends and other representatives of the Irish community in Britain. I will not let go of it. RTE cannot and should not be allowed to do this. As a public service broadcaster it has a responsibility to look after the Irish diaspora as much as the people on the island of Ireland.
I echo Senator Barrett's comments that a very poor image of Ireland has been transmitted as a result of the European Commission's release of its letter on corporation tax and the way it is levied on multinational companies in Ireland. I am particularly concerned about the impact this is having on Irish America and corporate America. I remind the House that in May last year, thejournal.iereported the comments by Senators Carl Levin and John McCain, who raised this in the US Senate and from whom it is alleged that all this came, that Apple negotiated a 2% rate in Ireland, far less than the State's 12.5% rate for companies. What was significant about the letter from the Commission was that the man who was responsible for the tax affairs of Apple in 1991 in his negotiations with the Irish Revenue said the conclusions arrived at were "unscientific". If that does not ring alarm bells in the Government, I do not know what will.