David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 579: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his plans to introduce digital television; the timescale for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25465/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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Digital television is already available in Ireland. Both cable-MMDS operators and satellite operators provide subscription digital television services.

Free to air analogue television services are provided on a terrestrial basis. Over time it is expected that analogue terrestrial services will migrate to digital terrestrial services in most countries. This migration is already happening on a significant scale in a number of European countries.

I have proposed that a digital terrestrial television pilot programme be developed in Ireland. The purpose of the pilot is to bring further momentum to the transition to digital terrestrial broadcasting and to test and trial various aspects of the service. My Department has various procurement processes under way to allow for implementation of the pilot. I expect that the pilot will be operational in 2006.