Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 486: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources his plans to introduce a waiver scheme for old aged pensioners, social welfare recipients and persons on low income to help with the costs of switching to SAORVIEW; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23398/11]

Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 505: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the supports that will be made available for citizens on very low incomes who may be unable to afford to install digital television services. [24058/11]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 486 and 505 together.

Ireland's national digital switchover strategy provides for the closure of the RTÉNL analogue TV network at the end of 2012 and, through the resulting 'digital dividend', paves the way for the delivery of new and better mobile and broadband services which should assist new national economic growth. I am keenly aware of the challenges this initiative brings, in particular for Irish households which are reliant on the existing "free to air" analogue TV network.

In May of this year, I published a Report on TV Viewing Methods in Ireland, which was commissioned by my Department to assist with planning for Analogue Switch-Off (ASO). This report, which is available on my Department's website, focuses on TV viewers who rely on the analogue terrestrial TV network and also provides useful information on the economic profile of TV households, their media preferences and preferences for receiving information about analogue switch off. The report is being used by my Department to inform the digital switchover programme.

This report is also useful in helping to estimate the number of TV households reliant on the aerial TV network backed up by other research such as the TAM establishment survey. From the research, we can estimate that there are approximately a quarter of a million households in Ireland reliant on the aerial network solely for television reception, and an estimated 100,000 of these households are classified as DE homes from a socio-economic perspective.

All households that rely solely on the existing "free to air" analogue TV network will need to upgrade to digital TV by the end of 2012 or they will lose access to television services. TV households can choose to upgrade to digital TV by moving to a pay-TV service or by upgrading to Saorview, Ireland's national digital TV aerial network, which was launched by RTÉ on 26th May 2011.

To upgrade to Saorview, TV households will need to purchase either a set top box to connect to their existing TV or a new Saorview digital TV. In some cases, depending on the type of aerial and the orientation and age of the aerial, TV households may also need a new aerial. The number of TV households who may need a new aerial or aerial adjustment is estimated to be around 20,000 TV households.

Experience from other European countries indicates that the cost of set top boxes and other digital receivers reduces as the date for digital switchover approaches, and there is increased competition in the market. There is clear evidence that this is now happening in Ireland with affordable set top boxes that meet the Saorview standard now coming on the market, as well as a range of suitable digital televisions.

To overcome the challenges that digital switchover brings, I recognise that we must also assist people with information and practical assistance to ensure that no one is left behind as Ireland goes digital. I have undertaken to deliver a substantial information campaign providing households with information on the digital switchover and on their options for going digital. This information campaign will be starting this autumn and I will be announcing details in the coming weeks.

In conjunction with this, my Department is currently working to address the particular information and assistance needs of vulnerable households as they prepare to go digital. In this context, the expertise and local knowledge of the many voluntary and charity organisations around the country could be of critical importance in ensuring the success of the switchover process. I have asked my Department to ensure that, to the greatest possible extent, these organisations play a major part in our information and assistance campaign.