Austin Deasy
Ceist:13 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Communications the reason there has not been any progress in providing a MMDS television service for County Waterford.
Ceisteanna-Questions. Oral Answers. - Television Signals Service.
Jim Mitchell
Ceist:17 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Communications if it is his intention to proceed with a nationwide MMDS system; if so, if he will outline the steps he has taken or propose to take to replace illegal deflector systems with MMDS; if he will also outline the estimated number of illegal deflector systems and the estimated number of people receiving TV reception through these illegal systems; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Austin Deasy
Ceist:25 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Communications the reason the MMDS television service has not come into operation as promised; and if he will make a statement on the future of the project.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 17 and 25 together.
I refer the Deputies to my answer to a similar question on 27 February of this year — columns 556 to 558, Volume 396, No. 3, of the Official Report for that day. Since then I have awarded the MMDS franchise for the Donegal and Sligo area to a company called Cable Management Ireland Limited, a company with extensive cable television interests in different parts of the country. MMDS services have come on stream, in a limited way, in County Limerick and I expect this trend to continue in the coming months. Progress in each area will differ, at least in the initial stages, due to terrain differences, planning permission, subscriber take up and so on.
The building of a national MMDS system is already underway. I have not heard any rumours that the whole MMDS project is going to be abandoned. There is no basis for such rumours, if they exist.
With regard to illegal rebroadcast systems or deflectors, because of their nature I do not have accurate information on the number of such systems or the numbers served. Spokesmen for the illegal operators have claimed up to 100,000 subscribers, and some of these are residing in areas where cable service is available. This means that even by their own unsubstantiated claims, illegal rebroadcasting operators provide a service that varies in quantity and quality to less than 17 per cent of the potential market.
A brief question, Deputy Deasy. The time has come to transfer to questions to the Minister for Justice.
I will put down these questions again because nothing is happening in my part of the country so far as the MMDS system is concerned. Will the Minister please give me some indication when this service will come into operation in my part of the country and throughout the country generally? If the service is not to be introduced for years — we have been promised it for years but nothing has happened — will the Minister say whether, the people using the deflector system will be prosecuted or if they will be immune from prosecution? Will the people using that system be safe until the MMDS system comes into operation?
The question refers to County Waterford only.
Question No. 25 refers to the country at large.
Including County Clare, which is cut off.
So far as the services are concerned, the first of the licences is now in operation in the Limerick area. The other licence-holders are extending their services around the country as fast as possible. They have to apply for planning permission and meet other requirements. I know they are keen to get to Waterford as quickly as possible.
No, they are not.
I cannot give the Deputy a date——
They have not even applied for planning permission.
I will talk to them and bring it to their notice.
Please do.
I have indicated that when the MMDS services are close to being available the elimination of illegal broadcasting systems will be the top priority of the Department. I want to be practical about it.
The Minister can expect a revolution.
There is no way I am going to take away a television service from people who receive the BBC, UTV and other services at present until such time as an alternative is available.
We will be safe using the deflector systems until then.
The Deputy said that.
We must now proceed to deal with questions to the Minister for Justice.