asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if tenders for the provision of multi-channel cable TV to Limerick have yet been invited; and, if not, the reason.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Limerick Multi-Channel TV.
7.
A competition for the exclusive licence for the provision of a multi-channel cable television system in the city in question has not yet been held. In this regard I would refer the Deputy to my reply to the debate on the Supplementary Estimate for my Department on 12 November 1981 — Official Report, vol. 330 No. 11, cols. 2036-2037.
I am well aware of the reply to the Supplementary Estimate which I read in detail. It does not answer the question, any more than the Minister of State has answered it here. There is no reason why the letters of tender cannot be accepted from Limerick as they were for Galway and Cork. Would the Minister please answer the question?
There is no obstruction as far as the Department are concerned. But the Deputy, as former Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, must accept that the Department's prime responsibility is to protect the consumer. No one has yet been able to tell us if the signal will be adequate for successful operation of the scheme. The Galway and Cork schemes are pilot schemes and if they are successful the Department will give their blessing to the Limerick scheme.
If the Minister will request tenders he will find out whether a signal is there. The contractors who are interested in supplying piped television for Limerick have to do their own tests and supply the Minister with all the technical data as to the existence of a signal. The Minister's answer clearly signifies there is no reason why he should not go ahead with the scheme.
I wish I could take Deputy Reynolds's advice. Unfortunately, I have to take the advice of professional engineers in the Department of Posts and Telegraphs who deal with this on a daily basis. They are very experienced and their advice to me this morning was that they are not satisfied beyond doubt that the signal to operate the Limerick system would be such as would guarantee a service. We may be accused of being overcareful but we have a responsibility to the consumer, and the Deputy should accept that.
I fully accept that the Minister must look after the consumer. But the best way of ensuring this is to have technical data supplied by outside contractors who are interested in supplying piped television and then the Minister can decide whether or not to let them go ahead. That is the time to protect the consumer. The Minister obviously does not know what he is talking about.
If we are going to get personal——
The Minister started on that level from his first day in office.
There is no dispute between Deputy Reynolds, the Department, the people who want this service and me. Time will establish whether the system which has been proposed for Limerick is successful. If it is successful the Department — I speak for myself also — will be delighted to go ahead with the scheme immediately because we are anxious to provide a good service to people who are not receiving it at present.
Is it the Department officials and the engineers who inform the Minister about the signal, or is it the contractors who make their applications under tender?
I understand the responsibility is on the contractor.
How can the contractor do that when the Minister will not allow it?