Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 25 Apr 1990

Vol. 397 No. 9

Written Answers. - Community Access Television.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

19 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Communications if he will outline the Government's policy regarding community access television; if he has received any proposals for such a television project; and if he will support such initiatives.

Minister for Communications (Mr. Burke)

In so far as the question may relate to community access programming on the RTE services, the matter of facilitating such programming is entirely one for RTE.

If the Deputy has in mind a community access television project separate from the RTE services, I have no such proposals to hand. Any such proposal would be considered on its merits.

I would mention to the Deputy that over the years there have been a number of experimental community originated programme services authorised using channel capacity on cable systems but most of these were unable to sustain both the effort and expense involved in continuing such services.

At the moment the only such service that continues to operate is the half-hour nightly local programme put out on the Cork cable television system. However that service differs from the true "community" type service since it is produced and paid for by the cable operator in question.