Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 20: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the cost of the digital set top box required for the digital terrestrial television switch over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10513/09]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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The cost of digital receivers for the Irish digital terrestrial television (DTT) market will ultimately be determined by manufacturers, retailers, RTÉ and the commercial DTT operator.

The Broadcasting (Amendment) Act, 2007 provides for the development of digital terrestrial television in Ireland and for the closure of the national analogue TV network. The Act requires RTÉ to provide a free to air national digital terrestrial television system with capacity to carry RTÉ, TG4 and TV3.

Under the Act, the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) is required to provide for commercial DTT services. The BCI is currently negotiating a contract with Boxer DTT Limited, a consortium operated by Communicorp and Swedish company Boxer TV-Access.

The cost of receivers on the Irish market will depend on a number of factors. These factors include:

1. The receiver specification,

2. The type of receiver and,

3. For commercial digital terrestrial service providers the way in which their service package is bundled.

In providing for the launch of DTT services, RTÉ and Boxer DTT Limited have jointly developed specifications for set top boxes for the Irish market.

The agreed specifications are based on the NorDig receiver specification. This ties the Irish market to bigger European markets. This means that Ireland can take advantage of economies of scale provided by these larger markets and this will help reduce the cost of receivers to the consumer.

In terms of digital receivers, there are three main types of digital terrestrial receivers produced. These are:

1. Set top boxes;

2. Personal Video Recorders;

3. Integrated Digital Television Sets.

Set top boxes are the most basic and least expensive form of receiver. They are connected to an existing television set and convert the digital signal to analogue so that it can be viewed on the TV screen.

Personal video recorders are also connected to television sets and work like a sophisticated video recorder. They allow viewers to record, pause and delay programmes and are expected to be more expensive than a basic set top box.

An integrated digital television set has the set top box receiver built into the television itself so no external device is needed to receive the digital terrestrial television service. The cost of an integrated television is expected to be more expensive than the cost of personal video recorders and considerably more expensive than the cost of a set top box.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 21: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the effects of a close down of analogue television in Wales on Counties Wexford, Waterford, Wicklow and Dublin; the timescale of this impact; his views on to the consequences of this signal shutdown; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10502/09]

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his Department's readiness for the digital terrestrial television switch over; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10526/09]

Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 21 and 62 together.

The Broadcasting (Amendment) Act, 2007 provides for the development of digital terrestrial television in Ireland and for the closure of the national analogue TV network. The Act requires RTÉ to provide a free to air national digital terrestrial television system with capacity to carry RTÉ, TG4 and TV3.

Under the Act the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) is required to provide for commercial DTT services. The BCI is currently negotiating a contract with Boxer DTT Limited, a consortium operated by Communicorp and Swedish company Boxer TV-Access. It is anticipated that the launch of commercial DTT services will be co-ordinated with the launch of the free to air DTT service in autumn 2009. The free to air analogue TV services will continue in parallel with the digital services until the analogue services are switched off.

Under Section 11 of the Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007, the Minister is tasked with providing a date for switching off the analogue services in Ireland. In deciding on such a date the Minister must take account of, inter alia, the extent of rollout and the level of take up of digital services.

I am cognisant of the fact that most European countries expect to switch off analogue services by 2012 and I recognise the importance of meeting this deadline if Ireland is to continue to compete at an international level in the broadcasting and broader communications markets. The UK has a schedule to switch off analogue TV in different regions from 2008 to 2012 in favour of Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT). Wales is set to switch off its analogue television services in autumn 2009. This is likely to impact viewers along the South East of the country who currently receive overspill of the UK television signals. Viewers on cable and satellite will not be affected.

Both RTÉ and the BCI are aware of the situation in Wales and of the importance of providing DTT along the South East of Ireland, as a matter of priority. Depending on the DTT package available, persons who subscribe to commercial DTT services should be able to receive UK television channels currently available via analogue overspill.