THE regulations for licensing UHF multichannel television relay schemes should be ready by the autumn, the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications said.
Mr Dukes said: "At this stage already. I can say that I am now hopeful that this date can be brought forward."
He explained that as well as drafting the regulations, there was a range of preparatory work to be done. One major task would be to prepare and publish a comprehensive national frequency list to help applicants in their selection of frequency channels.
The selected channels must not cause interference to the national programmes services, which was why their frequency list was important.
The Minister, who was answering questions from Mr Robert Molloy (PD) and Mr Noel Treacy (FF), said the UHF (ultra high frequency) scheme would not operate on a nationwide basis.
The areas to be covered would depend on applicants who meet the criteria set out in the scheme. "I intend to see that the principles of fair competition will be observed in the award of licences under the new scheme.
"I do not accept the imputation that these principles would be better served if I excluded MMDS and cable relay operators from participating in it. I cannot see how that would be fair. It is not the case, in any event, that cable relay operators or anyone else will be licensed to provide service under the scheme in cable relay areas, as these areas are expressly excluded, from the scope of the scheme.
He pointed out that there was no question of the UK authorities exercising a veto over the award of licences.
While RTE has submitted a proposal to move its remaining VHF (very high frequency) stations to UHF to broadcast RTE 1 and Network 2, no decision had been taken on that yet.
Mr Dukes, replying to a number of questions as to why they had to wait until the autumn for the regulations, said there were a number of complicated issues to be settled and finalised.
The Fianna Fail spokesman on transport, energy and communications, Mr Seamus Brennan, said the Minister knew that this was a "non scheme" which would not happen. It would never come into the House. It was merely a device to get past the election.
The Minister denied the allegation and said he was appalled at the accusation.
Earlier, the Minister told Mr Brennan that CIE had looked for a 10 per cent increase in fares for Dublin Bus last June, but this had not been agreed to.
He said Dublin Bus, in common with the rest of the CIE group, was not generating sufficient revenue to cover costs. "The only realistic approach to the problem is to reduce costs. Increased fares or an increase in the financial support provided by the Exchequer, will not address the problem of costs."
The fare increases that would be necessary to make a substantial impact on CIE's finances would simply drive customers away to other modes of transport, including the private car, which was the company's principal competitor.
Increased subvention did not offer a solution either, Mr Dukes' said. The subvention to CIE for 1997, at £105 million, represented a significant increase on the 1996 figure of just under £100 million. The Exchequer was not in a position to indefinitely underwrite excessive costs in the CIE group.