Vol. 473 No. 3
1 Miss de Valera asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the reason he stated in Dáil Éireann on 8 October 1996 that a minimum of 93 per cent of the country would be able to receive Teilifís na Gaeilge on its first night and that difficulties would be confined to parts of County Mayo; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that more than 25 per cent of the public cannot receive the channel unless they buy new aerials. [24913/96]
3 Miss Quill asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht in view of the repeated assurances given by him that 95 per cent of households in the Republic would be in receipt of signals from Teilifís na Gaeilge, if he is concerned that this has proven not to be the case; and the action, if any, he proposes to initiate to rectify the situation. [24850/96]
5 D'fhiafraigh Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Ealaíon, Cultúir agus Gaeltachta cé na céimeanna atá i gceist aige a ghlacadh le cinntiú go mbeidh fáil ar Theilifís na Gaeilge ag an bpobal ar fad thuaidh, thoir, thiar agus theas; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [24808/96]
Tógfaigh mé Ceisteanna 1, 3 agus 5 le chéile.
Faoi mar atá ráite go soiléir agam cheana féin, is ar RTE a leagadh an cúram an bonneagar teicniúil riachtanach a thógáil lena chumasú do Theilifís na Gaeilge feidhmiú mar sheirbhís náisiúnta ar leith. Is é an bun-sprioc a bhí ann ná go mbeadh sé indéanta do suas le 90 faoin gcéad de dhaonra an Stáit teacht ar Theilifís na Gaeilge ón tús. Faoi mar a dúirt mé mar fhreagra ar Cheisteanna sa Teach seo ar 8 Deireadh Fómhair, mheas RTE ag an am sin go mbeadh teacht ag idir 93 faoin gcéad agus 95 faoin gcéad den daonra ar Theilifís na Gaeilge ón tús-dáta craolta. Tá RTE tar éis a chinntiú go raibh a gcuid meastacháin ceart agus go bhfuil sé indéanta do 93 faoin gcéad den daonra an tseirbhís a fháil.
Chun teacht ar an tseirbhís, áfach, is féidir go mbeidh ar chuid den lucht féachana a gcuid teilifíseáin a thiúnadh isteach. I gcásanna áirithe, go háirithe nuair atá RTE 1 agus Network 2 á bhfáil ar VHF, beidh sé riachtanach do dhaoine aeróg UHF a insealbhú. Measann RTE go bhféadfadh sé tarlú go mbeadh ar suas le 20 faoin gcéad den daonra aeróg den chineál sin a fháil. Ní mór dom a threisiú nach bhfuil aon rud speisialta nó neamhghnách ag baint le haeróga UHF. Tá siad in úsáid ar fud na tíre agus, mar shampla, craoltar na cainéil theilifíse thalmhaí go léir sa Bhreatain ar UHF.
Glacaim leis go bhfuil sé ag dul dian ar dhaoine áirithe, ar chúis amháin nó ar chúis eile, na hathruithe is gá a chur i gcrích d'fhonn an tseirbhís a thiúnadh isteach, fiú i gcásanna ina bhféadfaí an tseirbhís a fháil gan aon trealamh nua a bheith riachtanach. Ar threoir uaimse, bhí comhráití ag mo Roinnse le RTE agus le Teilifís na Gaeilge maidir le bealaí ina bhféadfaí réiteach a fháil ar na fadhbanna seo. Tá RTE agus Teilifís na Gaeilge i mbun feachtais leanúnach chun eolas agus cúnamh a chur ar fáil d'fhonn na deacrachtaí atá ann a shárú.
Maidir leis an bhfáil ar Theilifís na Gaeilge i dTuaisceart Éireann, ba chóir go mbeadh sé sin ar aon dul leis an bhfáil atá ann ar RTE 1 agus Network 2 ar UHF. Thug mé sonraí cheana féin de na hiarrachtaí atá á ndéanamh chun an fáil ar sheirbhísí theilifíse RTE i dTuaisceart Éireann a fheabhsú agus a leathnú. Bhí mé i dteagmháil le déanaí le Rúnaí Stáit na Breataine don Oidhreacht Náisiúnta maidir leis na cúinsí praiticiúla agus airgeadais a bhaineann le plean teicniúil chun an teacht ar sheirbhísí ó tharchuradóir RTE ag Clermont Carn i gCo Lú a leathnú. Beidh buntáistí le gnóthú ag Teilifís na Gaeilge as an bpróiséas sin.
All we have heard from the Minister today is a rambling reply, an attempt to justify the fact that he misled the House on 8 October 1996 when he said he expected the entire country, at the minimum, would have 93 per cent coverage on the first night, the remaining 7 per cent — where difficulties are located in the west — on the first night of transmission would be confined to parts of Mayo. The Minister must be aware of the reception problems encountered nationwide in regard to Teilifís na Gaeilge. Unfortunately, in replying to similar parliamentary questions tabled on 8 October last the Minister left the impression that 93 per cent of the population would be able to avail of Teilifís na Gaeilge without the necessity to purchase specialist equipment. Does the Minister accept that his raising unrealistic expectations about the availability of Teilifís na Gaeilge caused great disappointment, bearing in mind the recent TAM ratings? Furthermore, does he accept the view advanced by the management of Teilifís na Gaeilge that the scientific basis of the survey cannot be guaranteed given the present circumstances?
I will try to be as helpful as possible. First, there certainly was not any intention on my part to mislead this House. My advice from RTÉ, which remains the same, relates to the availability of the signal. The difficulties being experienced by people in receiving Teilifís na Gaeilge are a source of disappointment, as the Deputy suggests, especially to those of us who worked so hard to provide as wide a viewership as possible. In relation to those who are experiencing difficulties at present, some are reluctant, which I accept, to retune their television sets. From our experience to date, in terms of the numbers of people involved, this represents the greater proportion of difficulties being encountered. Another source of difficulty is that some dealers, when asked to assist, suggest that people need to purchase equipment which is not always necessary. Yet another source of difficulty is the signal available, as it were, on the roof which necessitates an adjustment to the aerial and the purchase of a UHF aerial.
It is important to draw a distinction between that figure — the proportion of the population, including Northern Ireland, the new service was aimed to cover — and that representing the difficulties encountered in receipt of the signal. New, additional, efforts will be made to overcome these problems. For example, some of the results of the meeting that I instructed be held between my Department, RTE and Teilifís na Gaeilge were to embark on a whole set of new measures to enable people to tune in. Members will have observed initiatives taken in relation to the RTE Guide, An Post and RTE which I hope will be of assistance.
Deputy de Valera raised another matter not strictly within my ministerial responsibilities. She appears to suggest that the discussion which took place on the adequacy of the sample, on which TAM ratings were based, was inadequate or inconclusive. That discussion, together with a comment by the head of Teilifís na Gaeilge, were very much their prerogative. People should give the new service a chance and allow it time to be established. The appropriate time to assess the general public response to it will be when it has been running for some time.
Does the Minister accept he has done a grave injustice to Teilifís na Gaeilge, to its fine programme makers, by giving this type of misleading information to viewers nationally? Furthermore, does he accept that the need to purchase new special UHF aerials ought to have been fully pointed out to viewers before the service went on air and, because that was not done, we are now in the position that those who did not support Teilifís na Gaeilge from the outset, who would like to subvert it, have been given the requisite ammunition to do damage to this very fine service? Does the Minister accept that, from the outset, he should have pointed out to viewers how to gain access to this very good service?
The tone of the Deputy's questions is most irresponsible. I certainly did not damage Teilifís na Gaeilge. I was asked a question here on more than one occasion on the proportion of the population at which the new service was directed. I answered that question in a straightforward manner based on the advice given to me by the national broadcaster vested with the statutory responsibility of bringing the service into being. There is no point in trying to confuse people about this. I must reiterate that there is a distinction between coverage on which I was asked a question and furnished the relevant information. I have accepted that there are difficulties in relation to reception but there is nothing to be gained from seeking to confuse the separate issues of reception and the transmission itself.
I might add it is still calculated by RTE that, in relation to the reception of Teilifís na Gaeilge, an adjustment of television sets would satisfy more than 90 per cent of those viewers involved. For example, in regard to the approximate 20 per cent of people who would need to erect a new aerial, the possible need for a new UHF aerial had been in the public realm since the receipt of the technical report on the establishment of Teilifís na Gaeilge. In the Gaeltacht, which I have the honour to represent, aerials have been available ranging in price from £7.50 to £20. The important thing now is for Teilifís na Gaeilge to be supported through the provision of the maximum amount of assistance to ensure that the difficulties being encountered in tuning sets and adjusting aerials can be resolved as speedily as possible. Following a discussion with the Select Committee on Social Affairs, I instructed that a meeting be held between my Department and a team in Teilifís na Gaeilge to decide on a set of measures to urgently address this matter.
Glacaim leis go bhfuil tú ceart, go teicniúil: tá fáil ag formhór an phobail air ach rudaí áirithe a dhéanamh. Ach tá sé sin cosúil lena rá go bhfuil fáil ag formhór an phobail ar an teileafón soghluaiste agus dearmad a dhéanamh a rá leo go gcaithfidh tú an teileafón beag a bheith i do phóca agat len é a oibriú; tá an rud san aeráid, cinnte. An nglacann an tAire leis gurb iad na ceantair is mó atá buailte ná na ceantair ó dheas agus thiar agus gurb in an dá cheantar is mó sa tír a mbeidh lucht féachana ag Teilifís na Gaeilge iontu, nuair a bheidh fáil acu air.
An nglacann an tAire leis, freisin, go raibh an tuarascáil mionlaigh a cuireadh ar fáil ag an gcoiste teicniúil, nuair a tógadh cúinsí daonna san áíreamh, agus an dtiocfaidh sé ar ais ag RTE ag moladh dóibh anois feidhmiú ar an dtuarascáil sin, a mhol go mbeadh, san idirthréimhse, Teilifís na Gaeilge ar fáil, ní amháin ar UHF, ach freisin thiar agus theas ar an gcóras VHF? An dtabharfaidh sé ordú freisin go mbeidh Teilifís na Gaeilge ar fáil ar an gcóras MMDS?
Maidir leis an tuarascáil mhionlaigh, bhí sé sin bunaithe ar sheirbhís a chur ar fáil ó Mhaghera. Tá an chosúlacht ann go mbeidh RTE ag laghdú úsáid na seirbhíse sin ó 1997 agus bheadh ar dhaoine i gceist an aeróg dhifriúil a fháil ag an bpointe sin.
Déanfar gach iarracht fáil a bheith ar an stáisiún tríd na bealaí a luaigh mé. Chuirfeadh sé le deacrachtaí Theilifís na Gaeilge agus craolacháin go ginearálta dá n-athrófaí an bealach ag an bpointe seo. An rud is fearr ná dul ar aghaidh mar atá.
An rud is tábhachtaí anois ná eolas a chur ar fáil agus cuirfear ar fáil é agus déanfaidh mé an cás a athmheasúnú san athbhliain.
We are engaged in semantics in debating the words "reception" and "transmission". It is disingenuous of the Minister to blame RTE for giving him the wrong information for a Dáil debate. It is unacceptable to blame people who may or may not wish to retune their television sets.
The Deputy is not asking a question.
The Minister should leave such matters to the Chair. I do not need his advice.
I want to know what steps the Minister has taken since this issue was raised on 8 October. He said then that he was prepared to talk——
I dissuade the Deputy from quoting as it is not in order at Question Time.
I am summarising. The Minister said his Department would see what could be done to provide aerials at the cheapest possible cost. Perhaps he could give us some information on this issue.
It is not my intention to be disingenuous. I want to make as much progress and give as much information as possible. We must be fair when trying to solve this problem. People are often reluctant to interfere with their television sets in order to get a good reception. The last time this matter was raised I said there would be a series of initiatives, involving Teilifís na Gaeilge, post offices, dealers and the RTÉ Guide, to provide information.
There was a danger when this matter was first raised that there would be an attempt to exploit the need for an aerial. As a result, discussions took place between my Department and others and that is why it was possible to supply aerials between the prices of £7.50 and £20.
An nglacfadh an tAire leis go raibh sé de dhualgas air an saghas seo eolais maidir le haeróga speisialta agus casadh speisialta a dhéanamh ar theilifíseáin a chur in iúil don phobal sara cuireadh an tseirbhís amach ar an aer? Agus toisc nár déanadh a leithéid go bhfuil an-damáiste déanta ag an Aire do lucht Theilifís na Gaeilge a bhfuil éacht déanta acu chun sárchláracha a chuir ar fáil do mhuintir na tíre seo?
Ní ghlacaim go bhfuil damáíste déanta agam do Theilifís na Gaeilge. Déanadh damáiste do choincheap Theilifís na Gaeilge nuair nár cuireadh an moladh isteach sa Chlár Rialtais don dá pháirtí nuair a bhí rialtas á chur le chéile.
Tá sé suimiúil an chaoi a bhfuil an scéal á iompú i gcónaí in aigne an Teachta. De réir na nAchtanna Craolacháin ó 1960 ar aghaidh, tá an cúram ormsa, nuair a bheadh cinneadh tógtha ag an Rialtas. Agus chun an fhírinne a chur ar an gclár arís, an chéad chinneadh de Rialtas ar bith i leith Theilifís na Gaeilge, tógadh é in earrach 1993 agus an tarna ceann i 1995.
Iad sin tógtha, bhí orm na cinní sin a chur in iúil do RTE mar de réir reachtaíocht 1960 bhí mise ag iarraidh orthu Teilifís na Gaeilge a chur i gcrích agus bunaíodh Comhairle Theilifís na Gaeilge.
Bhí bealach eile chun é a dhéanamh: reachtaíocht a thabhairt ar aghaidh, airgead a chur ar fáil agus an tseirbhís nua a bhunú. Dá roghnófaí an tarna bealach seo ag an am, ní bheadh Teilifís na Gaeilge ar an aer. Tá sé ar an aer anois agus an rud atá tábhachtach ná gan aon bhac ar chur air agus seans ceart a thabhairt dó. Aontaím leis an Teachta gur cláracha den scoth atá air.
Is cuma cén t-eolas a chuirfidh an tAire ar fáil anois, ach an bhfuil a fhios aige go bhfuil moill agus liostaí feithimh go dtí Lá 'le Pádraig seo chugainn de dhaoine atá ag fanacht ar ghníomhairí teilifíse teacht amach chucu i gConamara leis na haeróga seo a shocrú?
An bhfuil a fhios aige freisin, mar chuid den phleanáil do Bhealach a Cúig i Sasana, go bhfuil siad ag déanamh cinnte ansin sula dtiocfaidh sé ar an aer go mbeidh na teilifíseáin tiúineáilte don tseirbhís nua? Ní chuirfidh fógraí i bpáipéir deireadh leis na deacrachtaí atá ann. An bhféadfainn iarraidh ar an Aire arís ar bhonn aitreamhach as seo go ceann 1997 an bhfuil sé sásta dul i gcomhairle le RTE le Teilifís na Gaeilge a chur amach ar bhanda VHF as Mullaghanish agus as Maghera.
Ní ghlacaim leis go bhfuil gá le gníomhaire teilifíse chun an t-athrú a dhéanamh i gcuid mhór de na cásanna. Tá dhá dheacracht ann: daoine atá ag iarraidh athrú ar an teilifíseán féin agus daoine a dteastaíonn athrú ar an aeróg uathu nó aeróg nua a cheannach. Tá aeróga nua ag teastáil i 20 faoin gcéad de na cásanna, de réir m'eolas. Sna cásanna eile, tá a fhios ag daoine go gcaithfidh siad rud éigin a dhéanamh.
An rud atá tábhachtach ná leigheas a fháil ar scéal na ndeacrachtaí faoi láthair agus coinneoidh mé an cás faoi athbhreithniú agus san athbhliain beidh teangmháil agam le RTE agus le Teilifís na Gaeilge.
