Sir, - You published on your Home News page an article on Teilifis na Gaeilge by your Irish Language Editor, Uinsion Mac Dubhghaill (June 5th). This Included little home news but much homely assertion. The writer, himself a journalist, alleged that "journalists writing about the issue appear at best uninformed about the nature and cost of the new service". It seems that everyone is out of step but Uinsionn.
He states that that there is no evidence that Teilifis na Gaeilge will cost £100 million over five years and proceeds himself to give figures which amount to £95 million. This, he says, is made up of five annual exchequer grants of £10 million (£50 million), five annual contributions from RTE of £6 million (£30 million) and £16 million in additional capital costs.
The latter money comes from the previous cap on RTE's advertising revenue, which was opposed by Labour in opposition but used by them in government. The exchequer grants appear to be equivalent to savings made by cut backs on tax relief for filmmakers under "Section 35", assuming a continuation of the most recent level of expenditure.
In fact the figure of £6 million annually, for RTE's contribution of one hour per day of programming to TnaG, is quite conservative. It suggests that a TV station can make programmes, which the public will watch regularly, for an average cost of under £20,000 per hour. The majority of those who work in television internationally would find such a suggestion simply unrealistic, if not laughable. In any event language and culture must not be reduced to money. There is plenty of young talent out there which is hungry for work.
There is a dearth of information about the new RTE subsidiary. Teilifis na Gaeilge. If journalists writing about it are "uninformed about the nature and cost of the new service", then this may be because there is no legislation or contract which allows them to see what TnaG is supposed to be.
The Republic of Ireland has what is arguably the most controlled and repressed television production environment in Western Europe. It is remarkable that it is now envisaged that state control be extended by the Minister who, in conjunction with RTE, appears intent on directly franchising the empty hours on the channel which is dedicated at present only to Teilifis na Gaeilge. Discussions with aspiring broadcasters have already taken place. The public has been entirely excluded from this process.
Perhaps your Irish Language Editor might examine the broader cultural implications of broadcasting policy and not be so ready to abuse those who retain their critical capacities. Reason, not political sleight of hand and self righteous assertion, is the best path to persuasion and to the restoration of the Irish language. - Yours, etc.
Lecturer in Broadcasting Dublin City University,
Dublin 9.
Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill writes: I did not write that TnaG would cost £95 million over five years, as Mr Kenny suggests. As you might expect, much of the capital spending predates the full annual allocation of £10 million in current spending (the allocation for current spending was just £2.5 million last year, while the £16.1 million capital spending started in 1994 and will finish this year). Mr Kenny adds the capital spending to the cost of RTE's contribution and the annual grant of £10 million from the Exchequer to arrive at an overall figure which does not reflect the actual cost of TnaG over any five year period. In any case, the five year span should be seen in context: over five years RTE will cost over £700 million and S4C, the Welsh language station, will cost about £300 million.