asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the progress that has been made towards providing facilities for the proper reception of RTE in the Cooley Peninsula, County Louth.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Louth RTE Reception.
56.
Planning of RTE's programme for improving reception throughout the country—a programme which is expected to take at least four years to complete—has not yet reached the stage where it can be said when reception in the Cooley Peninsula, County Louth, will be improved.
Would the Minister not agree that it is unjust to charge people television licence fees in an area where the service is not available to them?
If the service was completely unavailable presumably people would not have television.
I am sure the Minister is aware it is possible to get service from outside the State.
None of my predecessors ever agreed to set up a differential of television licences based on the quality of the signal received and I could not undertake to do that either.
The Minister will agree that at least his predecessor was making some effort to provide a better service in that area.
I am sure my predecessor was making efforts and I am making efforts too.
That is a most unsatisfactory answer. Surely the Minister could give me a little more information as to what he can do in the immediate future at least to improve the situation in that area?
As I have told the Deputy, there is an on-going effort——
A Deputy
Another Minister gives us that one. Please think up a new one.
It is part of the normal human vocabulary and not peculiar to any one person. RTE are continuing to develop their plans for improving reception which is, of course, defective in a number of pockets throughout the country and the programme will take some time. I cannot assure the Deputy at this stage when this particular area will be attended to.
Has the Minister any specific particulars in relation to the Cooley area?
I have not.
If, as is suggested, a transmitter was completely out of order for a period of a month would it not be reasonable to consider the situation of licence holders in the area? The period of a month is rather long, if the information is correct.
I do not think that could be done.