Vol. 416 No. 2
10 Mr. T. O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if she will outline her proposals in relation to the privatisation of RTE's Network 2 or 2FM; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
12 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications when she intends to publish the formal review of the operation of the Broadcasting Act, 1990, as promised on 5 December 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
29 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if her Department have yet completed the promised review of the Broadcasting Act, 1990; if it has yet been submitted to the Government; if it is intended to privatise any part of RTE or their services, and if she will make a statement on the matter.
135 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Tourism, Transport and Communications if she will outline, (a) her intentions in regard to amending broadcasting legislation and (b) the format these changes will take; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Tá mé ag tógáil Ceisteanna Uimhreacha 10, 12, 29 agus 135 le chéile.
I am carrying out as a matter of urgency my own review of the operation of the Broadcasting Act, 1990. I do not consider myself bound to the outcome of the earlier review referred to by the Deputies. I will be formulating my proposals on the best way forward and putting these before Government for consideration as soon as possible.
There are no plans to privatise Network 2 or any other element of RTE's broadcasting services at this time.
Like other Deputies, I should like to congratulate the Minister on her appointment. I welcome her statement that she has no immediate plans to privatise Network 2 and she does not feel obliged to pursue the policies of her predecessor. A rather disturbing report in The Sunday Business Post of 2 February stated that Network 2 are facing privatisation. It was also feared that as a result of the protracted strike in RTE an opportunity was being presented to those in favour of privatisation. Will the Minister give the House a categorical assurance that she has no plans to privatise Network 2 in the foreseeable future?
I am sure Deputy O'Sullivan will agree that neither he nor I can be responsible for newspaper stories or headlines in regard to this matter. I can give a categoric assurance that there are no plans to privatise Network 2 or any portion of the national broadcasting service at this time.
Will the Minister give the House an assurance that there are no plans to divert part of the licence fee to private radio so that they can fulfil their public broadcasting requirement?
I think the Deputy has agreed that it will take me, as someone who is new to Communications, some time to grapple with the many complex and sometimes conflicting views involved in the entire broadcasting area. In doing this I intend to meet the various interests involved and those concerned about any review of the Broadcasting Act, 1990. In the course of that review issues raised by all sides will be considered. It is only when that review is completed that I will be able to come back to the House and give the results of it.
I call Deputy Eric Byrne——
May I ask a final supplementary?
——whose Question No. 11 refers.
When can we expect to see the review?
I am sorry, Deputy O'Sullivan, I have called Deputy Byrne.
On a point of order, will the Chair say what questions the Minister is replying to. Is Question No. 12 being taken?
I am sorry if Deputy Currie did not understand. I said I was taking Questions Nos. 10, 12, 29, and 135 together.
That clarifies the matter. I should not have called Deputy Byrne. Deputy O'Sullivan for a final question.
When may we expect to see the review of the broadcasting legislation?
I could not give a date as to when that review will be possible but the Deputy will accept that I will be looking at it as a matter of urgency.
I am glad I am not the only one who is confused as to which questions the Minister is replying to. I ask her to bear in mind that not everyone is as proficient in the first national language as she is. Hopefully in the future there will be Members of this House who will be even less proficient in the Irish language than I am.
Questions, please. Question Time is very precious.
In regard to the review of broadcasting policy, the central point of the question I asked, will the Minister agree that on 5 November it was stated by her predecessor that the review had been concluded and had gone to Government and that on 5 December he stated that the review would be published as soon as possible? Will the Minister say when that review will be made available to Members so that we will know at what stage the review of the broadcasting legislation is at?
I said in my initial reply that I was carrying out as a matter of urgency my own review of the Broadcasting Act, 1990. I also said I did not consider myself bound by the conclusions of the review carried out by my predecessor. As soon as my review is completed I will present it to Government who will clear the proposals for any amendment to the Broadcasting Act, 1990. At that stage the proposals will become known publicly.
