The Postmaster-General is, unfortunately, absent on important business, and he has left me the legacy of his proof. I take it that the Deputy will have no objection to my giving his reply to the House. He says:
After the transfer of the Post Office Services from the British Government on the 1st April, 1922, permits for the installation and working of Wireless receiving apparatus were issued by the Irish Postmaster-General to experimenters and other persons who complied with the conditions laid down as regards the apparatus and aerial to be used and on payment of a fee of 10s. a year. On the outbreak of the disturbances in the country in July, 1922, these permits were withdrawn at the request of the Military Authorities and all persons in possession of wireless apparatus were required to surrender it to the Post Office for safe custody. The sale, importation or manufacture of wireless apparatus was also prohibited. This general prohibition against the use of wireless apparatus has not yet been removed. For some time past, however, special permits have been given on specified conditions with the approval of the military authorities for wireless receiving demonstrations at fetes and other entertainments organised for charitable and public objects.
Applications were received from some Irish and British firms for a licence for the establishment of a Broadcasting station in the Free State. The consideration of the British applications has been deferred for the present, but in order that all persons or firms in Ireland interested in the matter might have an opportunity of having their claims considered, notifications were made in the Press inviting applications.
Numerous applications were received, and after examination and sifting three main companies were left. As it was considered that only one Broadcasting station, which should be in Dublin, was warranted if there was to be a reasonable chance of success the firms were asked to confer together with a view to uniting in a joint scheme.
The parties having failed to agree on a plan of co-operation the Postmaster-General summoned them to a Conference and laid down the general conditions on which he would be prepared to grant a licence for broadcasting. These were as follows:—
1. That a Broadcasting Company should be formed with a guaranteed capital of not less than £30,000, which would undertake to erect and operate a Broadcasting Station in Dublin.
2. That the Company should be open to any bona fide firm or person carrying on business of manufacturing wireless apparatus in the Free State on taking one or more shares in the Company. The Board of Directors should consist of seven members nominated by the constituent Companies.
3. That the licence should be for five years and to be renewable thereafter at the pleasure of the Postmaster-General. Power would be reserved to terminate the licence at any time for failure to fulfil its conditions.
4. That the importation of wireless sets or component parts of sets should be confined to the Company and its members.
5. That the Company would be at liberty to manufacture and sell wireless receiving apparatus and would receive a share of the fee to be charged by the Post Office for licences in accordance with the following scale:—
Ordinary Licence Fee, £1 a year. Company's share, 12s. 6d.
Private Constructor Fee, £2 a year. Company's share, 32s. 6d.
Schools and Institutions Fee, £1 a year. Company's share, 12s. 6d.
Hotels, Restaurants, Public Houses, &c. Fee, £5 a year. Company's share, £4 10s.
Occasional Licence Fee, £1 each. Company's share, 12s. 6d.
Traders' or Dealers' Fee, £1 a year. Company's share, £1.
Amusement Purveyors' Fee, £1 a week. Company's share, 90 per cent.
These terms were found to be generally acceptable to the three firms referred to, but while two of them were willing to join in the formation of the proposed Broadcasting Company they could not see their way to co-operate with the third party. The Postmaster-General met the representatives of the firms in a further Conference and endeavoured to induce them to reconsider their attitude, but without success. He explained that he could not grant a licence to a Company which sought to exclude another Company from participating in the concession, and stated that unless agreement were reached he would have to terminate the negotiations and consider the whole question again. As agreement between the three firms has not been reached the whole matter is now being reconsidered and further applications are being invited. In the meantime it is not possible to release wireless apparatus generally.
I may add the Postmaster-General also said that if the statement was unsatisfactory, or if the Deputy was not perfectly satisfied, he would undertake to meet him and go into the matter with him.
