Brian O'Shea
Question:51 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the progress being made with regard to the provision of digital terrestrial television; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10709/01]
Written Answers - Digital Terrestrial Television.
Last year the Government agreed revised arrangements for the introduction of digital terrestrial television, DTT, in Ireland which provided that the DTT platform would be established by two separate but inter-linked transactions, the separation out and sale of the existing RTE transmission network and the selection of the DTT multiplex operator, the DTT retail business.
An interdepartmental project management group chaired by my Department and including the Departments of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Finance and Public Enterprise is managing the process to select the DTT multiplex operator. While a significant amount of progress has been made in advancing this process, the timetable has not yet been finalised for the public stage of the process in which interested parties will be invited to apply to be selected as the DTT multiplex operator. Clarity regarding this timetable will be available when the small number of remaining issues have been resolved. I understand that RTE's preparations for the sale of its transmission business are also well advanced.