Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if any procedures and protocols are in place with digital TV service providers to deal with household arrears with a particular sensitivity towards vulnerable and low income households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33419/12]

Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)
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There are several digital TV service providers in the country. The main pay TV operators are Sky and UPC. In addition RTÉ operates a digital network called SAORVIEW, which is subscription free.

I have no role in relation to the subscriptions demanded by pay TV service providers or the payment processes they use. The Broadcasting Act 2009 requires RTÉ to provide a national digital network as a replacement for its national analogue TV network. The new digital network is called SAORVIEW. RTÉ has also rolled out a satellite network – SAORSAT. As with the analogue network, these digital networks are subscription free.