asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the controls, if any, he exercises over companies which provide a piped television service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Control of Piped TV.
30.
All cable television systems with 100 subscribers or more are required to be licensed under the Wireless Telegraphy (Wired Broadcast Relay Licence) Regulations, 1974, which set out the conditions to be complied with including technical conditions.
So far as reception is concerned, the technical conditions attached to licences are designed to ensure that the television signal picked up at the mast head are not downgraded while being relayed to the service point in customers' homes, that interference is not caused to other apparatus and that the system complies with safety requirements.
My Department have powers under the regulations to require licensees to make available on request any information relating to the operation of their systems; to inspect the systems and ultimately to suspend or revoke the licence in the event of failure to comply with the terms of the licence. The manner in which these powers are exercised in regard to any particular system would depend on the circumstances of that case.
This is essentially a Dublin problem. In cases where someone defaults and is disconnected, there is nothing to stop such a person telling the firm concerned to refuse the wayleave at the house. When this happens every other house is deprived of the service. Is the Minister aware that firms are reluctant to cut people off because other users in the neighbourhood will be deprived of the service? There have been several cases where people who were cut off attempted their own connections and, being of an amateur nature, left people on either side of them with distorted picture and sound. Is there anything the Minister can do to allow firms have more control and power so that if they disconnect someone other people in the locality will not be deprived of the service?
In all cable systems it is possible to disconnect individual subscribers who are in arrears with payments of fees. This does not affect paying subscribers in normal circumstances. It is not too difficult for a person who is disconnected to make an irregular connection himself. Normally the cable runs across his property and the junction box is usually on the wall of the house. Cable operators devote a lot of resources into tracing and eliminating such irregular action.
The National Prices Commission commissioned a study of the cable television industry in October 1979. A summary of the report of the consultants was published in the NPC Monthly Report No. 96 of June 1980 under the heading "System Damage". The report stated that the final factor which affects the quality of services received by the consumer results from damage to the system. Vandalism, piracy, construction work and ESB outages create the majority of service breakdowns in cable companies. Piracy is probably the greatest problem the companies have. By connecting themselves into the system these illegals weaken the signal being relayed. As a result the quality of reception received by the houses downstream deteriorates drastically. Furthermore, these connections can, in fact, electrify the system. Maintenance of the cable television in any locality depends on community co-operation and goodwill.
A brief question, Deputy.
I am trying, but it is awkward to be brief. It is seldom I seek the indulgence of the Chair. The Minister is correct in saying that it is dangerous to make an attempt at connection. Is the Minister aware that it is open to the pirate, if he is cut off, to order the firm to take the whole thing away from his house? Once that is done the people downstream from there on are deprived of service.
That is the problem.
For this reasons firms are rather reluctant to go to the full extreme. Is there anything the Minister can do to strengthen their hand and, at the same time, safeguard reception? This is being regarded in Dublin as another form of TV sponging.
I acknowledge that fact. It is a very difficult and complex question because, if you take out the pirate, you leave out the rest of the district. There is very little the Minister or Department can do. The rules and regulations are there. We should be depending upon a far better community spirit.
Can the Minister tell me if it is his intention to grant a licence for a cable television system in Cork city?
That is a separate question. I have not got the answer.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.
In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I should like to raise Question No. 12 on the Adjournment.
I will communicate with the Deputy.