asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he is aware that reports of the Dublin Cattle Market are frequently omitted from the third news bulletin on Radio Eireann; and whether, as this omission is a serious inconvenience to farmer listeners, he will take steps to ensure that the report is included in the third news bulletin each evening.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Cattle Market Reports.
It is sometimes necessary, particularly when matters of especial public interest arise such as reports of important Dáil proceedings, to exclude certain items from the third news bulletin because of limitation of news time. The exclusion of the Dublin Cattle Market Report is, however, of very rare occurrence. This report is invariably given in the second news bulletin.
In view of the fact that the exclusion of this report is very rare, would the Minister be good enough to see that it does not occur again because it is really a serious handicap to farmers in remote districts, particularly when there is a fair the following morning, not to know the contents of the market report? The second news report is very often not heard, so that the third news report is the important one.
We will see what we can do, but unfortunately the Dáil and the cattle market occur on the same day —Wednesday—so that sometimes there is a jam as regards the news.
It is more important for the people to know about the cattle market than the Dáil.
I am glad to hear the Deputy say that.