asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether a record is kept of the extent to which use is made by RTE in its news broadcosts of information supplied by the Government Information service; and, if such a record is kept, the use made by RTE in its television news broadcasts of information supplied by the service in relation to increases in the price of bread, butter, sugar and many other commodities which were sanctioned by the Minister for Industry and Commerce on the 11th January, 1974.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Television News Broadcasts.
1.
No such record is kept. The remaining questions, therefore, do not arise.
Is it not a fact that the Director of the Government Information Service some months ago in an interview in connection with his work outlined developments for a monitoring service and, if that is so, to what does that monitoring service relate?
A daily recording of certain RTE programmes including news is made. This is not directed towards ascertaining the use made of material but rather to monitoring non-governmental information of various kinds.
In view of the fact that a monitoring is made of daily news broadcasts, presumably the Minister has available to him the information which I have sought in this question?
I am sorry. If the Deputy wishes to put down a new question, I will answer it. I am trying to answer this question as he put it. He asked me whether a certain record is kept. No such record is kept or ever was kept because no useful purpose would be served in keeping such a record. Therefore, it never was kept even during the 16 years in which the Deputy's Government had the Government Information Service harnessed to various more or less futile and unrewarding tasks. I hope that is clear.
The Minister appears to have indicated to the House that the Government Information Service does have a record of news broadcast by RTE, if I understood him correctly. If that is so, he has available to him the information which is sought in the second part of my question. Am I to take it that although the Minister has such information he is declining to give it?
I have answered the Deputy's question. Deputies opposite are falling into the habit of pressing Ministers to answer questions which they themselves have failed to put. If the Deputy will put down the question to which he wants the answer, I will answer it if I have the material in my possession.
I have——
I have allowed Deputy Colley three questions on this and it is now getting into an argument. This must be a final supplementary.
The Chair will appreciate that I have asked this twice and I have not received an answer. May I ask it once more and, perhaps, this time the Minister will answer it? Is it a fact that the Government Information Service has a record of news broadcast by RTE and has the Minister available to him the information which I have sought in the second part of my question and is he refusing to give it? That is a straightforward question.
I have told the Deputy that I have given him all the information I have here. If the Deputy requires other information to which his question does not relate, I shall try to give it to him and this will be available to him in due course. I do not want to avoid answering a question.
We shall have to pass on.
The Minister's reluctance to answer is quite understandable.