Vol. 307 No. 4
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if, in view of the unsatisfactory service provided by piped television companies and, in particular, their policy of disconnecting users without notice or due cause, he will take the service into public ownership, possibly to be administered by RTE.
18.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will provide an estimate of the current annual rental income and net profits of companies operating piped television services.
(Dublin South-Central): With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 17 and 18 together. The information available to my Department does not indicate that the service provided by piped television companies is generally regarded as unsatisfactory, and I am not aware that it is the policy of these companies to disconnect subscribers to their systems without notice or good cause. It is not my intention to take the service into public ownership.
The current annual rental income of piped television companies is about £2.2 million net after deducting VAT and relay licence fees. RTE's annual report for 1976 shows that in the year ended 30 September 1976 RTE Relays produced a surplus of £139,781 and at a press briefing last November RTE indicated that in the following year this surplus increased to about £200,000. The other piped television companies are private firms and I am not in a position to give any estimate of their profits or losses.
: If a company have the franchise for a particular area and do not in fact make the connection, what recourse do people in the area have as regards getting in another company or recourse to the Minister's Department?
(Dublin South-Central): There are certain obligations which they must undertake but everything must be taken into consideration as regards—is the Deputy talking of a large number or just an isolated spot?
: About 40 or 50 houses.
(Dublin South-Central): We can ask the various companies. They are obliged to supply but there are times when it may be completely uneconomic.
: If I give the Minister details will he move in the matter?
(Dublin South-Central): I shall certainly look into it.
