The token Supplementary Estimates for Vote 30: Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, propose additional funding for TG4, grant-in-aid subhead H4, and the creation of a new subhead F5, to provide for the cost of the Power of One energy efficiency campaign.
The additional funding required under subhead H4 in 2006 amounts to €0.889 million. As the additional expenditure is to be met from savings, the Supplementary Estimate sought is to be a token one of €1,000. In 2000, RTE advanced an interest free loan of €0.889 million to allow TG4 to provide for a funding shortfall relating to a capital expenditure project for a second TV control gallery. The project was completed in 2001 and enabled TG4 to broadcast from two control galleries. It has always been envisaged that this loan would have to be repaid and it is now being included in the accounts of both RTE and TG4 since it was issued in 2000. It is important that this loan be repaid before 1 April 2007 since this is the date set for the establishment of TG4 as an independent station.
Following his examination of TG4's accounts, the Department accountant has concluded that TG4 would be unable to repay the loan from within its own resources. In light of this, I recommend that a once-off capital grant of €889,000 be provided to TG4 for this purpose.
The requirement in 2006 for the Power of One energy efficiency campaign is €2.6 million. As the additional expenditure is to be met from savings, the Supplementary Estimate sought is to be a token one of €1,000. Launched in September 2006, the Power of One campaign was designed with a single overriding objective, namely, to achieve real and measurable change in consumer awareness and behaviour on energy efficiency. The campaign task is to communicate the various messages to individuals in such a way as to enable and empower them to make stepped changes towards more energy efficient behaviour. The main objectives of the Government energy efficiency campaign are as follows: to build awareness of the types and sources of the energy we use and the cost and environmental impact of their use; to inform and empower the general public on best practices in terms of saving energy at home and at work; to target individual sectors such as industry, SMEs, schools, the public sector and the transport sector with tailored messages; and to highlight and build on existing programmes and activities in operation on the island of Ireland, taking account of relevant EU policies and initiatives.
It is proposed to meet the additional funding both for TG4 and for the energy efficiency campaign from savings within subhead J of the Vote. Subhead J — other services of Vote 30 — provides for the following: support under the cross-Border initiatives, PEACE ll and INTERREG III programmes; mining services including compensation payments to the owners of private mineral rights; the payment of grants to the Commission for Energy Regulation in respect of all-island energy; subscriptions to international organisations; and the running cost of the gas technical standards committee. The subhead also makes provision for the capital contingency fund which this Department is required, under the multi-annual capital investment framework, to make available within the Estimate to meet any unforeseen demands or additional costs which might emerge. A contingency of €6.94 million is provided within subhead J for this purpose in 2006. It is proposed to use savings of €3.489 million from subhead J in 2006 to fund the additional requirements in relation to the subheads.
I have now outlined to the Deputies the detail of the Supplementary Estimate, the cost of which can be met by savings and I hope they will agree that the proposals are reasonable and can approve them as presented.