Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 1 Mar 2000

Vol. 515 No. 4

Written Answers. - Television Transmission Network.

Enda Kenny

Question:

149 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the meetings, if any, she or any of her agents have had with a company (details supplied) or any of its agents in the context of her recent public announcement on the privatisation of the national television transmission network; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6378/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera)

Under the terms of the Government decision of July 1998 on the arrangements for the introduction of digital terrestrial television, DTT, to this country, it was envisaged that the transmission function would be separated from RTE as a going concern and that the entity thus created would be mandated to build and operate the DTT infrastructure. The Government decision provided that RTE would retain an equity stake in the new DTT entity and that the proceeds of the sale of the transmission business would be used to fund RTE's equity stake in the new DTT entity.

As was indicated during the Adjournment debate in the House on 23 February 2000, the development of a transaction process that meets the objectives of the Government decision and other legal and technical requirements has proved difficult and I have sought the observations of other Ministers on a possible way forward following which I will bring the matter to Government for decision. No meeting in the context described by the Deputy has taken place.