Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding the provision of commercial digital terrestrial television here and the ongoing negotiation between the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland and a consortium (details supplied); the timescale for the rollout of a free to air DTT service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43298/09]

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 49: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the exact target date for the switch off of analogue television broadcast services. [43261/09]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his views on the EU Commissioner for the Information Society's call for EU countries to speed up the move to digital terrestrial television; the timeframe for a signed contract with a company (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43339/09]

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the position regarding with digital terrestrial television; when he excepts to finalise the contract for DTT with a company (details supplied); if he will comment on reports that companies have reduced their stake in that company; the amount spent on DTT by RTÉ to date in 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43342/09]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 49, 74 and 76 together.

The Broadcasting Act 2009 provides, consolidates and updates broadcasting legislation. Part 8 of this Act replaces and updates the Broadcasting (Amendment) Act 2007 which provided for the development of digital terrestrial television in Ireland and for the closure of the national analogue TV network. Under the 2009 Act, RTÉ continues to have responsibility for the provision of a national free to air digital terrestrial television system with the capacity to carry RTÉ 1, Network 2, TG4 and TV3. This new service will eventually replace the existing analogue terrestrial television service. The legislation also requires the newly established Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, BAI, to provide for the development of commercial digital terrestrial television, DTT, services. The BAI, which is an independent regulatory authority, is responsible under the 2009 Act for the licensing and competition issues raised by the Deputies. A competition for commercial multiplexes initiated by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, BCI, in 2008, under the 2007 Act, is still ongoing. The contract has been offered to the One Vision consortium. The BAI has taken over the role of the BCI in finalising this competition. While I have no direct function in these matters, I am concerned on policy grounds to see an early agreement on the provision of commercial DTT services and an early time path for the implementation of such agreement. My policy objective is the achievement of the earliest possible switch-off of the analogue system thereby releasing valuable spectrum to enable Ireland to reap the benefits of the digital dividend.

In relation to the rollout of DTT services, I am informed by RTÉ that, to date, 13 sites have been DTT enabled to accommodate both the single free to air DTT multiplex and also three commercial DTT multiplexes. This represents the most difficult and costly element of the build plan as it includes the main transmitter sites in Ireland. It also involves costs associated with replacing several of these masts to accommodate the commercial multiplexes. RTÉ has informed me that the accumulated capital expenditure on DTT, commercial plus free to air, for 2009 is expected to be €13.5 million. In relation to the timing of the rollout of the free to air DTT service, the legislation provides that RTÉ must provide a full national DTT service by the end of 2011 or such later date as I decide. RTÉ has not yet set a date for launching the free to air DTT service but has indicated a preference for launching in parallel with a commercial DTT operator as the availability of commercial DTT is important to assist RTÉ in getting a return on it's investment and to ensure adequate viewer choice in the digital era.

In relation to the target date for switching off the analogue terrestrial television services, the Broadcasting Act 2009 provides for me to establish a date or dates for analogue switch off, after consultation with RTÉ and the BAI, on among other things, the availability of digital television services in the country, the availability of suitable televisions and other receivers and the take up of these services. In this regard, I am in close contact with the BAI and RTÉ on progress in these areas. The European Commission has set 2012 as the timeline for analogue switch off throughout Europe and recent correspondence from the European Commission is requesting that Member States should endeavour to adopt 1 January 2012 as the target date. I consider that it is in the best interests of Ireland to switch off analogue services in 2012. In this regard, I have established a group to advise me on planning for analogue switch off and I expect to report on this in the first quarter of 2010.