Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 106: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which he has had discussions with likely satellite television service providers here; the extent to which satellite television is likely to impact on terrestrial television services and national broadcasting policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20011/05]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which he sees revenue from advertising to be attracted by satellite television providers, terrestrial services or others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20010/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which he sees revenue from advertising to be attracted by satellite television providers, terrestrial services or others; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20314/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the extent to which he has had discussions with likely satellite television service providers here; the extent to which satellite television is likely to impact on terrestrial television services and national broadcasting policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20315/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 116, 187 and 188 together.

It is important to differentiate between television broadcasting services and the platforms on which they are made available. RTE and TV3 are, for example, available on analogue and digital cable systems, digital MMD systems, the analogue terrestrial network and BSkyB's digital satellite system. Ireland has, therefore, a number of channels available on a satellite platform. We do not, however, have any satellite platform operators based in Ireland nor is it likely that this will happen in the near future.

However, the availability of an increasing number of television channels on the satellite platform is having and will continue to have a major impact on the Irish broadcasting landscape. Under the television without frontiers directive, member states must ensure freedom of reception and shall not restrict retransmissions on their territory of television broadcasts properly regulated in other member states. While this has been the case for many years, recent technological developments which allow transfrontier broadcasting services to insert area-specific advertising have increased the potential impact on broadcasting services in smaller member states.

In Ireland's case this is evident by the number of UK channels which now broadcast specifically Irish advertising. While this may result in Irish channels receiving a smaller share of the Irish advertising market, it may also reduce Ireland's ability to apply Irish broadcasting standards to broadcasting services which are primarily aimed at Irish viewers.

In that context, Ireland, along with a significant number of other member states, favours an amendment to the television without frontiers directive whereby broadcasting services which originate in one member state but are intended for reception primarily in another member state should be subject to the broadcasting standards which apply in the member state in which the service is received.

This is an issue which Ireland intends to vigorously pursue in the forthcoming discussions on the review of the television without frontiers directive which is currently being conducted by the European Commission.