Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources given that he has signed an order under the Broadcasting Act 2009 requiring RTE to ensure that their free to air digital terrestrial television service is operational and available to 90% of the population by 31 October 2010; if this is now the case; the information being actively provided by his office, ComReg, RTE and others informing customers about the rollout and the way to tune in and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42542/10]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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It is the responsibility of my Department, in conjunction with RTE, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), ComReg and other stakeholders to progress the digital switch-over process so that it meets the 2012 timeline for analogue switch off.

Accordingly, I imposed, by order, a requirement on RTÉ to make its public service DTT multiplex available to 90% of the population from 31 October 2010. RTE launched the DTT trial service, Saorview, to 90% of the population on the 29th October 2010. This trial service is available to the public and currently broadcasts RTE1, RTE Two, TV3, TG4 and the RTÉ News Now service. RTÉ is proposing a full national launch in the second quarter of 2011. Further information on the RTÉ DTT service is available on www.saorview.ie. Information on the launch is also available from the DCENR website www.digitaltelevision.ie .

I believe that this RTE trial service is essential as it provides time for the DTT network to be completed, services to be fully developed and for additional content and receivers to be made available. It also means that TV viewers can choose to adopt the new service at the earliest opportunity.

I have also developed a steering group, chaired by my Department and comprising members from RTE, BAI, ComReg and other stakeholders, in order to progress the digital switch-over process and to ensure that information and advice is made available to TV viewers in a timely and cost-effective manner.