After eight months of indecision the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands granted RTE a licence fee increase of £14.50 last July instead of the sum of £50 sought by RTE. The reduced increase granted by her means RTE will be forced to operate at a loss, leading to major job cuts at the station. Her action has led directly to the axing of 200 hours of programming from RTE's schedules next year. "Bull Island" is gone together with Lyric FM's news service and "The Week in Politics" presented by Olivia O'Leary. As a representative of a rural constituency, I am annoyed that "Nationwide" is being reduced in broadcast frequency to twice a week. Other events such as the "Telethon" and the "Irish Film and Television Awards" are also being axed.
The decision to close the outside broadcast facility is a disgrace as it will lead to a severe curtailment of sports coverage. People I meet demand increased and improved sports coverage from RTE in Gaelic games, soccer, rugby, horse racing, golf and tennis, particularly on Saturdays. Sadly however, the Minister's action has led to a curtailment rather than an expansion of sports coverage.
RTE once had a programme led by the late Dermot Morgan called "Scrap Saturday". The Government of the day was delighted to see that programme axed. Dermot Morgan himself went on to work and prove himself a success outside Ireland. The scrapping of "Bull Island" with some 500,000 viewers is an insult to the people and the actors in this excellent show which was produced, directed and starred in by Irish people with initiative and flair.
RTE needs the necessary resources to develop the station's involvement in a new commercial digital terrestrial transmission system designed to provide Internet and other interactive services. I cannot see the necessary development taking place now.
I have always been disappointed by the lack of an early morning news bulletin on RTE television and I have long held the view that we should have a morning television news service together with a television equivalent of "Morning Ireland". RTE should also have an educational channel to provide a service to pupils in primary, post-primary and even third level education. My hopes for such services are being dashed by the Government. The Minister is reducing the ability of RTE staff to provide proper coverage of news, politics, sport, music, culture and the arts.
RTE is a public broadcasting company representing people who come from all walks of life. The loss of approximately 150 jobs and the cutting of 200 programme hours is an attack on the foundations of our democratic system. It is essential that we have an energetic, active media and RTE, by providing public service broadcasting, is part of a healthy fourth estate. What Government is attempting to do is wrong. It will limit the ability of our national broadcasting service to meet the challenges of competition from other television channels.
The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Heritage and the Irish Language had cross-party support to grant RTE's request for a £50 television licence fee increase rather than the £14.50 increase granted. RTE has received no licence fee increase for five years and, while £50 may have been too high, the £14.50 increase was way off the mark. Even though in Opposition, in order to have a properly funded television broadcasting service, I would have supported a far larger licence fee increase.
The Minister has set sail into choppy waters. RTE will run at a loss and will delve into its reserves. I warn the Minister, her Department and the Government that they are condemning RTE to run at a deficit in the future or continue with radical cutbacks. In the challenging times that RTE faces, this is no way to conduct affairs. The Minister is threatening RTE with commercial ruin unless she amends her policies. Having watched the Government make such a monumental mess of Aer Lingus, Eircom, the ACC and other semi-State bodies, I recommend that the Minister change her policies on RTE before it is too late.
A Cheann Comhairle, you will remember Lena Doolin, Joe Dowling and other broadcasters meeting in the RTE canteen. Those days in RTE were symbolised by the phrase "sit down and be counted". It is now time that we stand up and be counted before the Minister and her Government drive RTE down the tubes. I ask her to amend her policies.
