Vol. 500 No. 7
351 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will raise the issue of fair access to the United Kingdom television markets by Irish distributors with her United Kingdom counterpart; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4176/99]
The Deputy will be aware that I have no statutory responsibility for the programme output of broadcasters in this jurisdiction. In Britain, broadcasters and platform operators such as satellite and cable television operators enjoy considerable autonomy in deciding on their programme output. Accordingly, it is difficult to see how the matter raised by the Deputy could be pursued in any formal sense with my British counterpart.
352 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will raise with the relevant authority the question of television reception and communication to Northern Ireland in the context of the Good Friday Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4177/99]
I refer to my reply to Questions Nos. 301 and 302 of 2 Feabhra 1999.
Telecommunications services are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise.
