When I moved to report progress, I was complaining of the fact that Radio Éireann have the unhappy knack of having three programmes in the Irish language put on in succession. The Minister ought to get the director to look into that. If it is the intention to encourage the Irish language that sort of behaviour will only turn people against it. Radio Éireann has a function in the revival of the language. Another complaint is that the type of Irish programme is of too high a standard to be of any help to those who know some Irish and want to learn more.
I should like the Minister to convey to the director the suggestion that the No. 1 Army Band ought to be used more. I do not know whether or not the Minister for Defence would get a fee. The band is a very popular one. It is not availed of at all to the extent it should be either by the Department or by Radio Éireann.
Greater use of the Light Orchestra is very much welcomed. I should like to pay tribute, as I have done in other years, to the conductor and members of that orchestra. Perhaps the Minister might tell us what progress has been made in nationalising the Symphony Orchestra. Years and years ago we were told that foreigners—Czechs, Hungarians, Germans and so forth— were brought in to augment the orchestra with a view to encouraging those from the Irish schools of music to make themselves proficient in that kind of music and eventually become members of the orchestra. The alleged displacement of Irish musicians has been a bone of contention both here in the House and in the country generally. Perhaps the Minister will tell us what progress has been made in encouraging more Irish musicians to become members of the Symphony Orchestra.
It would, in my view, save time if audiences did not applaud quite so much. Why are the audiences at Question Time allowed to applaud so much? To give an example: the question master asks "A rolling stone gathers no ..." and the bright boy answers "moss". The audience applaud for at least ten seconds. That is ten seconds lost. Applause is all right in its proper place, and for a good answer, but minutes could be saved in the three-quarters of an hour if applause were cut out.
Sponsored programmes are of a very low class. If the Minister can take it upon himself to ban the songs from the musical show "Gigi" he should also take a hand in censoring the low type of sponsored programme to which we are treated and he should encourage the excellent type of programme we get from the Irish Hospitals' Trust from 11 to 11.30.
I should like to compliment Radio Eireann on its presentation of "Today in the Dáil". We are a lazy people unfortunately, and most people do not bother to read the reports of the Dáil. They get a condensed, colourful and attractive report of what happens here from Radio Eireann for a quarter of an hour. In my opinion, that report is unbiassed. It gives a very good résumé of the proceedings here. The Comhairle should consider extending that quarter of an hour to half an hour in order to include more of the comments made here and the speeches of the various Deputies.
There is a grave lack of Irish news. We are taken from London to New York and Rome, and even as far as Russia—everywhere except Ireland. Surely things happen here. The Irish news we get is from correspondents: "The Widow Murphy's cow fell into a ditch in Ballyjamesduff and broke her leg." We are not concerned about the Widow Murphy and her cow down in Wexford. Equally, the people in Ballyjamesduff are not concerned if a chimney catches fire in Wexford. Irish news of general interest should be included.
For 14 years I have been complaining about bad reception in Wexford. Reception is also bad in Waterford and in part of West Cork. There has been no improvement over 14 years. We are now going to move into television. If reception is anything like what we get at the moment at night, television will be no good to us. The Minister said we would have to get a new wave band, or something of that type. When shall we get it? It is pure fraud to take licence fees from us in present circumstances. We have the Light Programme and Luxembourg, but we should like to get Radio Eireann now and again. Will the Minister tell us when something will be done to improve reception in these areas?
