Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 25 May 1950

Vol. 121 No. 5

Estimates for Public Services. - Committee on Finance. Vote 55—Wireless Broadcasting (Resumed).

Mr. McGrath

As the Minister is aware, the broadcasting station in Cork, which we hope to have erected pretty soon, is linked up with the new school of music in Cork. The Minister, I am sure, is aware that negotiations are proceeding between the Cork City Vocational Education Committee and his Department with a view to coming to an agreement to have the new radio station on the premises of the new school of music, as requested by the Minister and his Department. The Cork Vocational Committee have been requesting the Department of Education for some years for permission to go ahead with the new school of music. They have not yet got permission. They believe that if negotiations between the Minister's Department and the vocational committee are speeded up, it will be a help to them to get the permission of the Department of Education to go ahead with their school of music.

The vocational committee have asked for a conference with the Minister and his officials and I appeal to the Minister to do whatever he can to see that those negotiations will take place as speedily as possible. It will have a dual effect so far as Cork is concerned; it will have the effect of speeding up the new school of music and the new broadcasting station. I am sure listeners will agree that whatever programmes are broadcast in Cork they are of general interest to the country. We are looking forward to see those supplemented by visits of the Radio Éireann orchestra. Between that orchestra and local talent we hope to make the new broadcasting station a very good second to Dublin. I appeal to the Minister to speed up this matter as much as he can.

Mr. Dunne

I was surprised to hear Deputy Burke, in his usual adroit manner, trying to create the impression that the news broadcast from Radio Éireann was in any way partial. I think the greatest proof of its impartiality is the fact that these news broadcasts even mention Deputy Burke. That is the supreme test of its impartiality so far as the Minister is concerned.

I was interested in the contribution made by Deputy Bartley and I think his remarks should be considered carefully by the Minister, particularly in so far as the broadcasting of plays is concerned. It would appear that the people living in the islands on the west coast who have been listening to the broadcast of one play, The Playboy of the Western World, have taken objection to that play because of its nature and because it is apparently based upon some occurrence which took place 30 or 40 years ago in that neighbourhood. That, in itself, in my view, is a sufficiently good reason for the Minister considering the banning of broadcasts of any such plays. Any play which is liable to offend the susceptibilities of our people should not be permitted on a radio programme, whether it be described by the people who claim to know, by the experts, as a good play, or whether it be looked upon as artistically sound. The first test should be consideration for the feelings of our people. While I am in no position to state whether this particular play is the masterpiece it is said to be, I believe the feelings of the islanders should first be taken into account. If there is a feeling against the broadcasting of plays of that nature they should not be broadcast.

I am not going to take up the time of the House in praising the Minister, because I feel sure the Minister is well aware of the fact that he has made tremendous strides since he took over this Department. Anybody who has any recollection of broadcasting over the past few years and the administration of that section of the Department must admit that there is this great difference, that now we know we have a Minister who is interested in broadcasting and who is trying to do all he can for it. I will pay that tribute to the Minister. There has been over the past year or two a definite livening up in broadcasting from Radio Éireann.

I should like to draw to the Minister's attention the possibilities that exist as regards an extension of broadcasting. It seems to me that a good deal of time is lost in the mornings and afternoons and this could be made use of from the point of view of increasing the revenue of the Department. The ordinary listeners to the radio include many working-class people and rural dwellers. It is largely a working-class and rural recreation, listening to the radio. These people are not interested in programmes which have to do with heavy musical items, such as chamber music or heavy operatic music. They are interested principally in light music and different forms of variety entertainment. It seems to me that the most successful people producing this kind of entertainment are those responsible for the sponsored programmes, both the Hospitals' Trust programme and the others. I think the Minister should consider extending those programmes by selling some time in the morning and afternoon on the air. A great number of housewives particularly listen in to the B.B.C. and other foreign stations during these hours. I think that potentiality should not be lost sight of and Radio Éireann should be developed, initially at any rate, without being a liability on the Exchequer. I think that would be a real advance.

So far as the standard of broadcasting is concerned, there is a good deal of leeway to be made up. Much remains to be done. It cannot be said that our standard compares favourably with the standards set in other countries. We do not seem to have reached that peak of efficiency other countries have reached in the presentation of their programmes. That may carry a certain imputation upon the world of entertainment here; may I say that that is not the idea. We have a long way to go in order to reach the desired efficiency. Perhaps that is understandable to some extent since these other countries have had a good head start on us. I sincerely commend the efforts the Minister has made in that direction.

Some Deputies have suggested that time might be given on the air to a review of the activities of this House. That might be a good thing, or it might be a bad thing. I think it is worth considering. When debates of unusual import occur it might be a good idea to broadcast those debates, or to broadcast excerpts from them, or make a recording of the speeches for broadcasting subsequently as has been done in Britain. The possibility of broadcasting important speeches made by the leaders of the Government and the leaders of the Opposition should be examined. Our country cherishes its democracy. I think it is a natural follow-through that in a democracy such as this leaders should have the right to express publicly to the nation their varied and valuable viewpoints.

Generally, I view the development of broadcasting under the present Minister with satisfaction.

Seosamh Ó Cinnéide

Tá dhá rud agam le rá ar an Vótaseo. Iarraim ar an Aire leath-uair sa tSeachtain de cheol agus amhránaíocht na Breataine Bige a thabhairt dúinn. Tugadh leath-uair do mhuintir na hAlban, agus sa troid in aghaidh na Teorann tá na Breatnaigh ar ár dtaoibh.

Ba cheart do na cainteoirí labhairt ní hamháin go reidh agus go soiléir ach go mall. Mar tá daoine cosúil liom féin nach bhfuil ina gcainteoirí dúchais agus gur mhaith leo cabhrú le cúis na Gaeilge. Ní dhéanfadh an chaint mhall aon dochar do na cainteoirí dúchais agus chabhródh san le muintir na Galltachta.

I want to take Deputy Fitzpatrick to task for his remarks about Deputies talking on every matter in this House. Surely, it is within the right of every Deputy to talk on every matter. It is the essence of good debate that the speaker following him should either prove or disprove his statements. We are elected to take part in the debate and to make our contributions to it. It is for Deputy Fitzpatrick, or any other critic we may have, to disprove what we say.

I have advocated that we should have a Welsh half-hour on the radio in the same way as we had a Scots half-hour at one period. I do not know whether the latter is still featured in our programmes. It was a very good feature at one time. In our present fight for the ending of Partition the Welsh people are very good friends of ours. They are fellow Gaels. This token of appreciation would help the common cause, that is the revival of their language in which they have made great progress.

With regard to the rendering of Irish dance music, I think we can take a lesson from the Scots. They are streets ahead of us. If Radio Éireann could obtain the services of a gentleman like Mr. Ian White it would have a very beneficial effect upon our rendering of Irish dance music.

I resent Deputy Dunne's implication that the previous Minister took no interest in broadcasting. To him alone do we owe our present Radio Éireann orchestra. He took a deep personal interest in that and it was he who built it up. While his predecessors can look back with appreciation on the memory of Fritz Brase, we can proudly point to Captain Bowles who has gone to the other ends of the earth to conduct in competition with others in New Zealand. A tribute is due to the previous Minister who did so much to help on the orchestra he brought into being.

Deputy Fitzpatrick made a very subtle speech in his own quiet way. He talked about English dance bands coming in here in competition with Irish dance bands. That is one thing. However, the implication was there, without the direct statement, that the English dance bands were brought in by Radio Éireann. He opened the door to let in the Philistines again — the boogie-woogies. You have an orchestra here. You have built it up. You have Irish musicians that are a credit to the nation. Vote more and more money and increase that orchestra. Have it working more and more all over the country. In that particular matter we will give you all the money you require, but do not kill the work of that orchestra by letting in jazz bands to blow off the heads of people all over the country.

Deputy Dunne talked about opera and so forth. The bands of Dublin were famous for years and are still famous though they are composed of workingmen. It is a well known fact that the Dublin workingman knows more about opera than any workingman in any city of its size in Europe, and appreciates operatic music. What is true of Dublin is equally true of Limerick— perhaps to a greater extent for its size — and it is true of Cork also. We should do everything to encourage chamber music and operatic music and, in fact, we should do everything to encourage what is music, whether it be light or heavy. The ordinary people of this country who have a great musical tradition and inheritance know that the thing that is blazing forth as music in the dance halls, and changes every six months, is not music at all and that it would be a waste of public money to employ anybody to play it. If a musician is discovered in any of these dance bands I am sure Radio Éireann would avail of his services, notwithstanding anything Deputy Cowan said.

Deputy Derrig was on the right road in advocating that scholarships be made available through Radio Éireann for the sons of poor men who show musical talent, so that later they can be absorbed into the Radio Éireann orchestra and thus bring this nation into its full glory in one of the arts. I read a lecture which was delivered by a professor in Trinity College recently on Irish education. He indicated that Irish music and Irish songs were not allowed into the schools up to the 1880's. If our people get a chance I am sure they will distinguish themselves in music as they will in everything else.

The two principal points about which I wished to speak are the giving of a Welsh half-hour and the improvement of the rendering of Irish dance music by the Irish orchestras by asking some of our Scottish cousins to come over and give us a few lessons in that regard.

Mr. Butler

I wish to express agreement with Deputy Bartley in congratulating the Minister on the standard of output from our stations. Whether from the point of view of amusement, entertainment or instruction, we get a really good service. One very big point in favour of our Irish broadcasting is that at all times it is perfectly clean. Parents can, as it were, let their children take over the radio set and they can go way and feel comfortable in the knowledge that the children will never hear anything even bordering in the slightest on indecency. Apart from that, I think our general standered compares very favourably with that of foreign stations though possibly not in technical perfection, because that could hardly be expected. Taken generally, however, I agree with Deputy Bartley that the Minister is to be congratulated on the general standard of broadcasting from our station. While I say that, I wish to disagree very much with an implication which was contained in Deputy Dunne's opening statement. I do not think it was worthy of Deputy Dunne and I think he hardly meant it. I was rather surprised to hear some criticism of the Hospitals' Trust sponsored programme.

Mr. Hickey

My objection was that that it is on every night.

Mr. Butler

A great many people look forward to that feature as a regular feature in the daily programme and for myself I must say that I think it is an excellent programme. No one can say that our sponsored programmes are overladen in respect of advertising the particular firm which is putting over the programme. Evidently that aspect of the matter is kept under strict control and the standard of the programmes broadcast is really very good — I could use the word "splendid" in respect of most of them. Then, again, the sport side of broadcasting is very well catered for.

I agree with Deputy Bartley that speakers who live on islands, and in backward places, especially, should have their news on Sunday nights presented to them in Irish. I recommend the Minister to have that done. I would point out again, with Deputy Bartley and Deputy Kennedy, that there is no difficulty there from the point of view of dialect except in so far as a very great number of people who listen-in to the Irish programmes are not native speakers. Those who learn Irish generally specialise in one dialect and when they hear a different dialet a certain amount of difficulty is presented. However, to those who know Irish well and to the native speaker, where the speaker from the station speaks slowly and distinctly and with good delivery, there is no difficulty in the world about it. If anyone broadcasting in Irish spoke just as Deputy Bartley spoke to-day, no one who had even a fair knowledge of Irish would have any difficulty from a dialectical point of view. However, I would impress on the Minister that he should consult his officials and remind them that very many of those who listen-in to the Irish programmes are learners and that it is therefore necessary to speak slowly and distinctly. The native Irish speakers are inclined to speak too rapidly for the ordinary listener.

With regard to the references which have been made to plays, I think we are a little oversensitive in this country. After all, if you take the English play-writers or the play-writers of any other country, you will find that very often they paint their own people as the blackest villains. Shakespeare himself has painted various English kings as absolute black villains. The English people do not object to that. They take the play for what it is worth and the lessons to be learned from it, and they are not at all as sensitive as we are here. I do think that The Playboy of the Western World was not a very good choice because it does offend a particular section of our people. It is all very well to hold a villain up — the more villainous he is made the greater the interest there is in the play. That is quite understandable but, in that particular play, the whole people connected with the incident, as it were, are pictured as condoning the crime. First of all, I think the crime is represented as much worse than it actually was, but then the attitude of the people is misrepresented in that particular play. I would advise that it should not be repeated when we know that it is offensive to so many of our people.

With regard to plays generally, I think we should put on the great standard plays more frequently. I know there is the difficulty of casting, and the difficulty of finding time to run through the play. There is not that difficulty in England. If an English station is giving an English play and people have not the time to listen to it right through, they can switch on to another station and get what they want. We cannot do that here. My suggestion to meet that is that there should be a commentator who would give a rapid résumé of the play, and that excerpts should be taken from the play and be done by the best artistes at our command. In that way, you would be giving a general idea of the play, an idea of the characters and of those participating, and you would be giving the telling passages from the play and, possibly, the climax. That would be very interesting for students throughout the country and to young people preparing for examinations, even for those in the lower classes in the secondary schools and right up to the universities. It would be very interesting for them to listen in. They could learn a great deal. I think that a play presented in that way would remain in their minds and would be useful and educational. I think, if that were done, you could get in a great play in possibly half an hour. In that way you would be removing the difficulties that I mentioned earlier. There is also this angle to it, that the older people who went through the full national school course, not to speak of those who did the secondary or higher courses, did learn by heart the great passages from the great plays. They would be immensely interested to hear these plays over the radio, especially in such a setting as I have suggested.

Now, I think Deputy Fitzpatrick was all wrong with regard to those foreign musicians, as he called them. We have excellent musicians in this country. I have attended concerts given by the pupils in the Dublin School of Music which is under the control of our vocational committee, and I know that we have excellent material there and that the training is excellent. At the same time, I think we can learn a great deal, and so I think it is quite permissible and quite good to have these outside people. Possibly, the benefit to the musicians themselves would be greater than the benefit to the people at large.

There was just one point in Deputy Burke's speech that I thought was very good, and that was that we should have an occasional talk on art in which our young painters should be mentioned and made known to the public generally. I have put boys through my hands who went on to the College of Art here. They had great natural ability and reached the point of exhibiting pictures but then they simply faded out. They went into some other walk of life and dropped art completely. Now, I think that if those people were advertised and made known, they would be capable of doing very good work. I am certain that, if they were in Britain and particularly if they were in France, young people of their ability would eventually become first-rate artists and might, possibly, become celebrated over the world. But here they simply fade away and are lost as artists to this country because of lack of support.

I do not think there is anything else I have to say. I think the present Minister is getting excellent service from those in his Department just as the previous Minister did. I congratulate him and, like Deputy Cowan, I say to him "carry on."

Mr. T.F. O'Higgins

I wish to say a few words on the Estimate. I think the general trend of the debate this afternoon has been to express more or less general satisfaction with the conditions under which Radio Éireann operates and with the progress made during the past year. Quite rightly, I think Deputies viewed Radio Éireann both from the cultural and the national propaganda point of view. I think with regard to the cultural side of the activities of Radio Éireann, that since it first commenced broadcasting it has consistently shown a very good progressive trend. Each year it has bettered its programmes. It has endeavoured consistently, I think, to satisfy the often very conflicting views of people who wish to listen in to the radio. I know it has been stated here time and again that it is extremely difficult to reach the happy medium with regard to many of the conflicting views and opinions that have been expressed by Deputies in this House. Nevertheless, I think it is accepted by most Deputies that, from that point of view, Radio Éireann has certainly a very good record.

With regard to its use from a propaganda point of view, that is something about which we could talk for a long time. It would be very difficult to say what propaganda value can be attached to Radio Éireann as a broadcasting station. From the point of view of putting Ireland's case and making sure that the Irish viewpoint is broadcast abroad on proper occasions, I think Radio Éireann is doing satisfactory work and I certainly have no quarrel with the broadcasting authorities on that score. I was sorry, however, to hear two Deputies, to one of whom I would ordinarily attach some importance, Deputy Little, raising the bogey that Radio Éireann in its broadcasts of home news is operated unfairly in order to give a political advantage to the Government. Parties and to Minister at the expense of the Opposition. I do not believe there is a scintilla of truth in that allegation. I can only say that the Deputy who suggested that is rather thinking that things operate in this country now just as they operated while Fianna Fáil was in power.

Up to two years ago it was unfortunately true that a fair share of the news items or of the time was not allotted to political leaders opposed to the then Government. With the change of Government there has been a change for the better with regard to that. I would remind Deputy Little that not so very long ago he came into this House with an allegation that Radio Éireann, for some perverse reason, had failed to report an accidental defeat on the Government on the Estimate for Posts and Telegraphs last year. That was not true. The Deputy's information was faulty.

Mr. Little

I withdrew the statement when I got the information.

Mr. T.F. O'Higgins

Very properly and as I would expect from him, the Deputy withdrew that statement later. Therefore, when making an allegation somewhat similar in this debate, confessing as he does that he has not the time or the opportunity to listen to Radio Éireann himself, he should be very sure that his information is correct. Certainly, there is no substantial body of opinion in the country that would hold the view that Radio Éireann is operated in any but a very fair way to both sides in political matters. I do not know whether the Minister has any direct responsibility for that, but I think a tribute is due to the broadcasting authorities for the manner in which they endeavour to give fair play with regard to broadcasting. Naturally, there must be more time allowed in different news items to statements made by Ministers. That has been always recognised. It was recognised while the present Opposition were in power. Allowing for that, I think that, generally speaking, fair play is meted out by the broadcasting authorities.

I suggest to Deputy Little and to Deputy Burke, who also made a similar allegation, that they should examine the facts before they make such an allegation. As I said, a charge like that was made within the last 12 months by Deputy Little. It was found to be inaccurate and the Deputy very properly withdrew it. I am certain that if the Deputy examines the information on which he has based his statement he would find that it is not accurate. I should like to join in the congratulations which have been extended to the Minister on the work done during the past year and to wish the broadcasting authorities God speed in the work which they have undertaken.

Mr. Timoney

I do not intend to make a speech on this Estimate. I just want to ask the Minister a question. Could it be arranged to put greater power into the broadcasting from Radio Éireann? There are places in Tipperary where it is very difficult to get the programmes with any sort of clarity. There is a great deal of background noises. The bad reception is obviously not due to faulty wireless sets, because immediately one switches over to the B.B.C., let us say, the programmes come in with clarity and power. I suppose there are some technical difficulties in the way of putting more punch into the broadcasting, but I feel sure that it is not beyond the capacity of the technicians to find a means by which listeners in places like Tipperary can get a reception in a reasonably good manner. Probably the Minister has had complaints about this and, therefore, I expect that the matter has been examined. I should like to know whether there is any prospect of the fault which I have mentioned being remedied.

Molaim an tAire mar gheall ar na cúig noimeataí sa bhreis a thug sé anuraidh, nó i dtosach na bliana seo, don nuacht sa Ghaeilge. B'fhiú é a dhéanamh. B'fhiú gan dabht. Tá obair mhaith á dhéanamh ag na cainteoirí a thugann an nuacht sa Ghaeilge agus is maith liom iad a mholadh.

Mr. Everett

I wish to express my appreciation of the very complimentary remarks made by Deputies on all sides of the House with regard to the efforts of the Radio Department. It is very encourgaging to know that for six hours we have discussed this very important matter of broadcasting. It shows the interest that people are now taking in Radio Éireann. I think the broadcasting authorities have achieved something wonderful in being able to present programmes which have met with the approval of Deputies. At the same time Deputies have made suggestions with regard to programmes. We have only four or five hours on the air.

I want to refer to my precedessor's remark about political broadcasts. I gave an assurance in this House when first elected that I would not interfere in any way with the civil servants in the Broadcasting Department. I have kept that promise. No official can say that I have interferred or given directions, other than to give fair play to the people of Ireland. There are members now from a very important profession, the journalists, appointed to Radio Éireann. Journalists are men out to get news: that is their job. Naturally, a journalists attached to Radio Éireann is going to give what he believes is news. If Deputy Little gives me a specific instance where he considers there has been any political bias against me or anyone else, I will have it investigated. I would ask him and the House to accept my assurance that neither directly nor indirectly have I given any instructions to the news editor of Radio Éireann. They are civil servants, appointed by Deputy Little when he was Minister or by the Government previous to my appointment. I have never interfered with them. I can say in regard to the whole staff of the Post Office Department as well as of Radio Éireann that we have as loyal a staff as they have in any other Department. I have never interfered with them and do not know what their political feelings may be. As far as I am concerned, they are all Irishmen.

Deputy Little advocated that we should get credit for the receipts from customs duties. I agree with him. That is a long-standing fight between the Department of Posts and Telegraphs and the Department of Finance. I would like to get the full credit for what is received from the customs. However, there has been no change in the position from what it was when Deputy Little occupied my position. We do not get credit even in the Book of Estimates for the work we do for other Departments of State. We work for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and we give facilities to all the other Departments, without getting any credit for it.

Deputy Little asked about the pensions for the members of the orchestra. As he knows, they are only a section of the unestablished civil servants in the whole country. I will put his recommendations to the proper quarter, but pending the whole general scheme of revision in regard to unestablished civil servants I cannot do it on my own, as the Deputy knows, on behalf of these men.

Mr. Little

It would be great if the Minister could single them out and get their co-operation on a contributory scheme.

Mr. Everett

I will give every co-operation to try to remove any injustice in any Department. The Deputy referred to the building programme. Broadcasting now requires very large premises of any expensive type. It has been found necessary to defer the question of building on that particular site, for the reasons I gave last year. We have tried to improve the accommodation temporarily in the General Post Office, but could not carry out an elaborate scheme for a broadcasting station as well as working on the new office in St. Andrew Street and on other work we have in hands. Other Departments are insisting that they must get priority—and naturally the Deputy will agree — for the building of hospitals and housing for the working classes, and they do not desire me to take away the skilled men. We have it under review and at every opportunity we are bringing it forward to try to get proper buildings erected for Radio Éireann.

Deputy Little suggested we should have a map to show the reception strength in Ireland and abroad. Our engineers are well informed on that matter. The Deputy must remember that the medium and long waves are not intended to give more than a national coverage. However, we have gratifying reports not only from this country but from abroad on that point.

The Deputy thought we did not give the President of Ireland due publicity. I think he has been misinformed. He will remember, if he were listening-in, the special broadcasts of the President being received in Rome. He will also be very glad to hear that we have a 15 minute record of the conversation between the President of Ireland and the President of France, which will be on the air very soon. That will show the Deputy that we are not taking a narrow parochial view. I am very glad that the House to-day has taken the same broad outlook and would be very pleased to see it taken also on many other Estimates apart from those for broadcasting.

Mr. Little

Has the Minister any record of the proceedings at Bobbio?

Mr. Everett

No.

Mr. Little

That is a pity. It was Bobbio and Paris I was thinking of.

Mr. Everett

We have the Paris record I mentioned, of the conversation between the President of Ireland and the President of France.

The Deputy referred to the schools and I am in entire agreement with him. Our Department will carry on the policy carried on in the Deputy's time and give every facility possible, but this is not a question for one Department only. It is one for the Minister for Education also. Deputy Derrig maintains now, I think, that I should not mind the Department of Education but should go on with this ourselves. While he was Minister for Education he did not take that view. Deputy Little was Minister for Posts and Telegraphs and was for the continuation of school broadcasts. Although the Ministers have changed, the policy remains the same in that particular Department in connection with expense.

Deputy Lehane referred to television and asked what we were doing about it. We have given it very carful consideration. The advice I have received is that television is yet in its infancy and in the experimental stages and that it would not be advisable for me to allocate large sums of money for that. There will be other experiments carried out and other inventions produced which may make it more adaptable to this country, but at present even the nations that have it in operation, even Great Britain, find it is a huge expense. While they are complaining about the heavy expense, it would be better for us to accept the experts' view and to wait for a period of time to see what the results will be. Deputy Lehane also recommended that we should have all the promoters of sponsored programmes encouraged to use the Irish language.

Mr. C. Lehane

The Minister must have misunderstood.

Mr. Everett

He recommended that sponsors should be encouraged to use the Irish language. We have got one of the advertisements put into Irish, but the majority of them prefer to have them in the English language in order to get to the greater part of the people to whom they want to sell their goods.

Mr. C. Lehane

On a point of explanation. The suggestion I made was that where advertisers were anxious for extra air time, which the Radio Éireann authorities are unable or unwilling to give them at the moment, it might be worth while considering allowing extra air time on the basis that a certain percentage — I suggested ten minutes in the hour — be allocated to broadcasting in Irish.

Mr. Everett

One sponsored programme was in Irish. Deputy Briscoe asked a question about radio licences in the rural areas and whether we were more concerned with an increase of the licences in the cities and the large towns. I think he will find, at the end of the Radio Éireann Yearbook for this year — it is available in the bookshops — that the number of licences in the rural areas has increased very considerably in the past couple of years. Deputy Briscoe also suggested that we should use compulsion to prevent interference with broadcast reception by electrical apparatus. I do not like compulsion, which would have to be extended to permit inspectors to enter homes. You would have to be very severe. I believe more in the methods we have adopted of advising people and having our men trying to catch up on those who are deliberately interfering. I believe in that way we may get better results and we will get the people to take a better interest than if you used compulsion.

Deputy Hickey, Deputy Lynch and Deputy McGrath advocated more use of the Cork station. They suggested that a greater part of the programmes should be broadcast from Cork. There was also a complaint that they were allowed only 16 hours. We must consider that the Cork station has a somewhat weak wavelength with a very low power and it reaches only the area that is convenient to Cork city and county. In those circumstances it would not be possible to use the station in the way Deputies Hickey, Lynch and McGrath suggested. In Dublin we have the headquarters and there we have available elaborate equipment.

The question of more adequate studio accommodation in Cork is receiving our attention. We are doing everything we possibly can to try to improve the accommodation in Cork. When we have better studios established there we hope to be able to give the Cork people an opportunity of displaying their talents from their own station.

Deputy Cogan mentioned that the Dáil was the only representative institution that could bring broadcasting matters to the notice of the Minister. We are very glad to get the advice of every member of the House, but I would like to remind the Deputy and other Deputies that we have a broadcasting advisory committee representative of all sections of the community and they give me very valuable advice in connection with Radio Éireann. I think those people are considered experts and I am very grateful for the assistance they have given me for the past 12 months.

Deputy Fitzpatrick referred to foreign musicians and to the promise that I gave last year that no extra foreign musicians would be employed. I can assure the Deputy that not one extra foreign musician was employed this year. A few foreigners were brought in from France and other countries to replace men who retired. If any Deputy can get Irishmen suitable for the posts, we will be only too anxious to give them preference over foreigners. Deputy Fitzpatrick also referred to ceilidhe bands. I hope before long we will have some good ceilidhe bands on the air that will not alone bring joy to the people but credit to our country.

Deputy Dunne suggested sponsored programmes in the mornings and afternoon. Our scheme in relation to sponsored programmes is somewhat limited. We are confined to a few. We have not a sufficient number of people requiring sponsored programmes to be put on the air. When we have extra accommodation in the General Post Office — as we hope to have during the next year—we will be able to put additional sponsored programmes on the air about the time suggested by the Deputy.

Deputy Kennedy proposed that Radio Éireann should broadcast weekly, say for half an hour, Welsh music. There would be some difficulty in doing this. I am sure the Deputy, like other Deputies, is aware of the collaboration between the Welsh radio, the B.B.C. and the Irish radio systems. This collaboration have given Irish listeners many enjoyable Welsh programmes from Wales and the collaboration will, I hope, continue.

Many matters were brought before the House in the course of this debate and various suggestions were made by Deputies with regard to improvements. I promise Deputies faithfully that all the suggestions they have made will be carefully considered by a committee in my Department. Some of them may be put into operation next year. I am only too anxious at all times to get constructive criticism. I believe such criticism is a healthy thing. None of us is infallible and none of us should resent being advised as to what is a proper course to adopt in the interests of the people. When the representatives of the nation are making practical suggestions, such as have been made to-day, I believe it is the duty of a Minister, through his Department, to have those suggestions considered most carefully by his experts. I can assure Deputies, even those whose points I may have omitted to mention, that what they have said will be very carefully considered. Where I want further information from a Deputy, I will communicate with him when I have had his suggestions considered in the Department.

I thank Deputies for their co-operation and for the very practical suggestions that were made to-day. I am pleased at the interest they have taken in this Estimate. I can only assure them again that my main anxiety is to give the best service I possibly can to the people as a whole, regardless of individuals and regardless of Party. I have endeavoured to adopt the policy that, so far as I am concerned as a Minister, I am not attached to any particular Party. I merely wish to do my very best in the interests of all sections of the community. Deputies on the other side of the House can be satisfied that politics will not interfere with me in doing what I believe is just and honourable to all sections of the community. I thank Deputies on all sides of the House for the manner in which they have received my Estimate.

Motion to refer back, by leave, withdrawn.

Vote put and agreed to.