Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he will report on the ongoing digital terrestrial television trial; if he will provide details on the recently completed selection process for multiplex programme content managers; when the DTT trial will be completed and national roll-out will begin; the reason he has not dealt with digital television services in a more comprehensive manner in the new Broadcasting Bill; if he will publish stand-alone legislation on digital broadcasting services; the way he will manage spectrum space as the digitisation process advances; if he has set a date for the switch off of the analogue signal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38855/06]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his preferred options for the development of digital television; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38764/06]

Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources his policy preferences in respect of the development of terrestrial television transmissions in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38763/06]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the cost of the digital television pilot service over the next two years; the criteria to be applied to programming and advertising content of the seven successful applicants; if he expects to meet the European Union's desired deadline of 2012 for the phasing out of analogue television system; and the measures he will take to meet that target date. [38781/06]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 127, 152, 163 and 168 together.

A digital terrestrial television (DTT) pilot programme is currently being implemented by my Department. 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.

The DTT pilot is now in the "soft trial" phase during which the network and user technologies will be tested. The initial transmission sites are at Clermont Carn in the north east and Three Rock covering parts of the Dublin region.

The trial is planned to continue over a two-year timeframe and will provide the opportunity for technical and user testing of both existing and new broadcast services, including both television and audio services. Over the period 2006-08, it is estimated that the DTT pilot will cost approximately €10 million.

My Department has begun preparing legislation for digital terrestrial television and is examining all the options with regard to putting in place a legislative framework for national DTT roll-out.

It is anticipated that the pilot will generate awareness and discussion among interested parties in a full national roll-out of digital terrestrial television. As the trial progresses and proposals are developed for a national roll-out of digital terrestrial television, the question of possible analogue switch-off dates will be considered.

Switch-off of analogue television services is being strongly advocated by the European Commission, with 2012 a target date suggested by the Commission. While the pilot is underway, I intend to hold discussions with all relevant stakeholders around the issue of digital switch-over with a view to meeting this deadline.

When decisions have been taken about the nature and timing of analogue switch over, it will be necessary to ensure that Irish viewers are fully informed of all the issues arising.

My Department, in conjunction with the Broadcast Commission of Ireland (BCI), recently completed a process seeking applicants to operate as Multiplex Programme Content Managers on the second phase of the DTT trial. In assessing applications, the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and the BCI, had regard to the extent to which an applicant's proposals met some or all of the objectives of the DTT trial and the applicant's compliance with the provision of information in the required format.

Further information on this process is set out in the application guidelines, available on the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources' website at

http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/Broadcasting/Digital+ Television/Digital+Terrestrial+Television+Pilot/.

During the summer, the International Telecommunications Union held an international conference to plan the use of the frequency spectrum for digital broadcasting. Ireland was represented at that conference by officials from my Department along with representatives from ComReg, BCI and RTE.

I am very pleased with the outcome of the conference. In addition to obtaining the necessary spectrum to allow for the initial roll-out of DTT nationwide, Ireland has also secured the right to re-use the existing analogue transmission frequencies for digital use.

This will facilitate not only the introduction of DTT nationwide but also permit the development of many new and innovative services, such as mobile television, high definition television and interactive television, particularly following the switch-off of the analogue services. My Department is currently examining how the spectrum should be used so that it can fully contribute to the development of broadcasting in a knowledge-based society.