asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of sponsored programmes produced in 1957 and 1958, respectively, by the studios with which the Chairman of the Television Advisory Committee is associated.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sponsored Programmes: Chairman of Television Authority.
37.
The official records of Radio Éireann do not contain the information asked for in respect of past years. The station has only the names of the sponsors and of their advertising agents. It was the agents who engaged the producers and recorders.
Are we to take it that the Minister feels that he has no means of getting this information from Radio Éireann? Is the Minister satisfied that if he requires Radio Éireann to give him this information they could not accumulate it for him?
Radio Éireann are not in a position to give accurate information, information which I could stand over as being the exact facts.
Would the Minister not consider giving us approximate information being careful to employ that adjective, "approximate"?
I am not trying to hide anything in this matter—I know the Deputy is not suggesting that—but the fact is that it would take a good deal of time and trouble to obtain even approximate information. We have not got a record in Radio Éireann for sponsored programmes. All we have is the current information.