I propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 107 together.
TG4 is an independent national public service broadcaster whose remit, obligations, principal objects and associated powers are set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009. Section 98 of that Act provides that TG4 shall be independent in the pursuance of these objects, subject to the requirements of the Act. As such I, as Minister, have no function in TG4’s management of its day to day affairs. This includes the rollout of its High Definition (HD) project.
Sections 125 and 126 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 make the necessary provision to allow for the development of an Oireachtas TV channel to be known as the “Houses of the Oireachtas Channel” on the SAORVIEW TV network. The legislation provides that the channel should be established by the Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas and that the oversight of the channel should be the responsibility of the Joint Administration Committee, which is a joint committee of the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The Commission of the Houses of the Oireachtas may enter into such contracts as are necessary to establish and maintain the Houses of the Oireachtas Channel. In this context, I should mention that section 126 of the Act amends Schedule 1 of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003 to enable the Commission to fund the channel and to meet all expenses incurred in this respect.
Sections 127 and 128 of the 2009 Act make the necessary provision to allow for the development of the Irish Film Channel. This legislation provides that the establishment and oversight of that channel is the responsibility of the Irish Film Board.
RTÉ has built, owns and controls the SAORVIEW TV network and is responsible for the roll-out, coverage and operation of that network. This is in accordance with Part 8 of the Broadcasting Act 2009, which provides that the development of the RTÉ network is an operational matter for RTÉ. RTÉ has informed me that there are on-going operational costs associated with the delivery of the SAORVIEW service. All broadcasters availing of SAORVIEW are required to pay their fair proportion of the associated costs.
The availability of TG4 HD, Oireachtas TV and the Irish Film Channel on SAORVIEW is a matter for those bodies, subject of course to the agreement of the necessary commercial terms with RTÉ as owner of the SAORVIEW network. I confirm that my Officials will continue to liaise with those bodies on this matter.
