David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. It is vital that we have a national broadcasting service. I want to speak today strongly in favour of RTE even though, as Senator Humphreys half indicated, I am partly responsible for the mess it is in. I have just received very substantial damages on foot of a libel action I took against RTE in the aftermath of the presidential election. It is extremely important that we have a national broadcaster. I am old enough to remember when RTE was Raidió Éireann and broadcasting from the GPO.

We have tremendous programmes, including RTE news, "Nationwide", "Prime Time" and "The Late Late Show". There are wonderful broadcasters, who have included Anne Doyle and Gay Byrne, Aengus Mac Grianna and Eileen Dunne. I send my best wishes to Gay Byrne on his recent health problems.

Let me refer to RTE's different stations. TG4 is the best station in this country. It has the most remarkable documentaries and the best films. It is really marvellous. Consider also the way RTE keeps the orchestra going. Lyric FM is a superb station.

In political terms, there tends to be nowadays an arrogant, invasive series of hosts of political programmes who project themselves as the stars of those programmes. They trample all over Ministers and they do not give a damn about absolutely anybody.

It was a great mistake for RTE to outsource children's programming. I understand that has been reversed and I am very glad if it has.

The Minister said An Post made it clear it finds the current TV licence regime a burden. Do the post offices get a rake-off for selling TV licences?