PLANS FOR the long-promised Oireachtas TV channel could be shelved as “alternative low-cost options such as webcasting or sharing existing channels” are explored because of the financial downturn.
A “wait and see” approach should now be taken to the idea of setting up a public service channel, similar to C-SPAN in the US, which would cover Dáil and Seanad debates, according to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission.
The minutes of the commission’s latest meeting warned “early adoption of this relatively new technology may be at a point when it is being offered at greatest costs”. The commission said “substantial and unbudgeted costs” would be involved “depending on the option, if any, chosen”.
The Joint Administration Committee (JAC) is considering the proposal, having heard submissions from RTÉ, TV3 and others. Committee member Senator Donie Cassidy said the JAC was about midway through its deliberations. “We’re looking at best practice from the US and the UK, doing everything we can to try and look at the possibility of taking the proceedings of the Dáil and Seanad into as many homes in Ireland as we can,” Mr Cassidy said.
“When we started our deliberations we were told we had to bear in mind constraints on the exchequer at the present time.”
The Broadcasting Act, which was enacted last month, contains a provision allowing for the creation of a parliamentary channel. The Act states the channel would “have the character of a public service, be a free-to-air service and be made available, in so far as it is reasonably practicable, to the whole community on the island of Ireland”.
While the channel’s main function would be to provide coverage of proceedings in the Dáil and Seanad, it could also broadcast the meetings of Oireachtas committees, local councils, British-Irish bodies and foreign parliaments.
