Vol. 431 No. 7
4 Ms F. Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht if he intends introducing new regulations regarding public information broadcasts in view of the concerns expressed by RTE in relation to the recent AIDS advertising campaign.
I am aware that there were difficulties between RTE and the Department of Health in relation to the campaign mentioned by the Deputy. I understand, however, that these difficulties were resolved to the satisfaction of the Department of Health.
Section 31 (2) of the Broadcasting Authority Act, 1960, provides that I may direct the Authority to allocate broadcasting time for any announcements by or on behalf of any Minister of State in connection with the functions of that Minister of State and the Authority shall comply with the direction. I am satisfied that this provision is adequate for the purpose of public information broadcasts and I have no plans at present to change it.
As the Minister said, under the Broadcasting Authority Act he has that authority, but would he accept that it is regrettable that a row took place and there was a debate in the media on the policy in question? What steps does he intend to take to prevent a recurrence? While I agree that we should be wary about further legislation and regulations, would the Minister agree that a more subtle approach should have been adopted and that the matter should have been teased out more before it was raised in the public arena?
I have no doubt that the Deputy and I share the same view on the need to present a public health programme in the most effective way to those who are most at risk. While I regret that it came to this I am glad that the matter was resolved between the Department of Health, RTE and others without recourse to the official powers under section 31 (2) to which I have referred.
May I ask the Minister——
A brief question, Deputy.
——why it came to this?
I am trying to understand the motivation of those who had difficulty with what I would emphasise were announcements. It should be remembered that there is a distinction between announcements on public policy and advertisements. They are handled in a different way in relation to the procedures followed so far as broadcasting is concerned. Sensibilities were expressed which on examination proved to be resolvable. While I have said I am happy that on this occasion I did not have to use the powers available under section 31 (2) and the matter was resolved between the Department of Health and RTE, I would not be reluctant, to use such powers in the public interest, in respect of an announcement on public policy by any of my collegues in the Cabinet or by any Minister of State.
