Vol. 441 No. 1
26 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the discussions, if any, he has had with Cablelink or the independent radio sector regarding Cablelink's proposal to advertise on its cable system; his views on the proposal in the context of his overall responsibility for broadcasting policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Decisions on the transmission and licensing aspects of Cablelink's advertising proposals are matters for the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications. In this regard, in replying to questions on this issue on 9 December 1993, he indicated that, following full consideration of the Cablelink advertising proposals, he had formed the view that there were other options available which need not involve the insertion of advertising by Cablelink and that he had asked Cablelink and other cable and MMDS companies to explore these options with the satellite television companies — Volume No. 437, Columns 93 to 96 of the Dáil Official Report for that date refers. The Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications answered a question on the outcome of this approach on 30 March last.
I fully support the approach taken by the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications as I believe that the advertising proposals would have had grave repercussions for Irish media generally and broadcasting in particular.
