Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the effects of the closedown of analogue television in Wales on Counties Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow and Dublin; the timescale of this impact; his views on the consequences of this signal shutdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10565/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The UK Government is planning to close down analogue broadcasting services in Wales in 2009 and replace them with digital broadcasting services. When the analogue services are switched off, TV viewers in the South East of Ireland who currently receive UK channels through overspill, will lose reception of these analogue channels. TV viewers will, of course, continue to receive the Irish analogue terrestrial TV channels after this date. The decision to cease analogue broadcasting in Wales is a matter for the UK government. It is expected that there may be some overspill of the digital broadcasting services but this is likely to be less than analogue overspill.

The closure of analogue terrestrial broadcasting services is happening all over Europe and it is expected that by 2012, all analogue terrestrial broadcasting services throughout Europe will have ceased. These services are being replaced by digital broadcasting services which are more efficient and which provide opportunities for more services. The Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007 has provided for the introduction of Digital Terrestrial Television in Ireland. Under this legislation RTE must provide Digital Terrestrial Television services throughout Ireland with space to carry RTE, TG4 and TV3. The BCI has been given the authority to provide for commercial Digital Terrestrial Television services. The RTE development of Digital terrestrial services is underway and it is anticipated that by 2009, Digital Terrestrial Services will have started to roll out in Ireland.