The FAI/Sky TV football row was a rude introduction for Dermot Ahernto his diverse ministry. Lorna Siggins reports 'There is a very fine balance between allowing RTÉ to develop and also ensuring that the licence fee money is handled wisely'

Barely a month into the life of the new Government, Mr Dermot Ahern has already found himself at the centre of several political spats. Given the ambitious spread of his reorganised Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, that should come as no surprise and Mr Ahern has not shirked issues as they have arisen.

He has defended the Government's role in the FAI/Sky football television rights row and has dismissed as "simplistic" criticism of its failure to ring-fence until now certain key events for terrestrial television. He has also defended the role of the former arts minister, Ms Síle de Valera, in implementing the EU directive on broadcasting.

In his first full interview since taking office, the Minister acknowledges that his portfolio is "massive", but not unwieldy - even though he has 53 bodies under his aegis, ranging from RTÉ and the ESB to Bord Gáis, and State ports and harbours.

There are those who would say that the rejuggling of departments to make way for a new transport portfolio bears all the hallmarks of re-design on the back of a beer mat. However, the Minister views his new Department as being central to economic development over the lifetime of this Government. The Louth solicitor is a former minister for social, community and family affairs. He came to prominence in 1997 when, as Government chief whip, he was sent by his party leader to London to investigate allegations of improper payments made by two construction companies to then minister Mr Ray Burke.

He says "policy creation and implementation" will be his main focus. Much of the responsibility will relate to continuing infrastructural development which, he admits, may have to be scaled back due to economic factors. However, he does not warm to talk of a recession. "The demographics of this country are right for the next 10 to 15 years," he says.

Mr Ahern has rarely been out of the news since his appointment in June. Preceding the Sky Sports/ FAI controversy was the row over the Department's title and the fishing industry's objection to the "downgrading" of the marine brief. He believes this row to have been "overstated" and points out that energy is also part of the remit "but it doesn't have a noisy lobby".

He is convinced that the marine area will benefit from being part of a much larger, heavy-hitting Department. A plan drawn up by senior civil servants within Marine and Natural Resources to devolve key areas of responsibility to one or several agencies is "purely a discussion document", he says. However, he is clearly open to such a development, and refers to the decision during his time in Social, Community and Family Affairs to establish an independent family support agency to look at broader issues.

The sea is something of a passion for the Minister, who represents a coastal constituency and lives in Blackrock, Co Louth, with Cooley and the Mourne Mountains as his backdrop. A father of two, he formerly sailed and has been a windsurfer for 20 years, winning regional championships. His wife, Maeve, is former Ulster windsurfing champion.

He spelled out his priorities on the marine area when he opened the Fish Ireland exhibition in Killybegs, Co Donegal. Earlier this week, he also viewed the plans for the Marine Institute's new building in Galway and confirms that its relocation from Dublin will proceed apace.

Among his priorities are a commitment to fundamental reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Already, he has initiated a review of fishing fleet licensing policy, and has asked his Department to establish an independent appeals procedure. The move has been welcomed by an industry that has suffered under the weight of what was perceived as an unfair regime over the years, whereby the marine minister had sole power to grant a licence application.

He denies that the Government has already abandoned any hope of a positive outcome in relation to the CFP review, which became highly politicised during the Spanish EU presidency in the first half of this year. The review proposals contain some "good elements", including a move to greater participation by fishing industry organisations, but he has described the Commission's proposals overall as "too blunt" and unbalanced.

The Republic has much common ground with other member-states on this subject, diplomatic activity is taking place, and the Taoiseach will be involved at a later stage, he asserts. He denies that the Government's approach is being influenced by concern over the Nice Treaty. "That hasn't entered into it. The Nice Treaty referendum will be well over by the time this review comes to a head."

One factor that will have a bearing on support for the Republic's case is the deal done on supertrawler Atlantic Dawn. The agreement concluded by Mr Ahern's predecessor, Mr Frank Fahey, after more than 18 months of negotiation, affords the freezer trawler the right to fish in international waters but also gives it a quota entitlement in EU waters. This has angered the Green Party and industry organisations here, several of which are seeking further explanation.

The Minister says the negotiations have been "absolutely transparent" and the Department has "nothing to hide", and he pays tribute to the vessel's owner, Mr Kevin McHugh. The Irish South and West Fishermen's Organisation has demanded that an observer be placed on board to monitor its activities, given that it is a freezer trawler and the only one of its type in this fleet. The Minister says he knows of no such proposal and does not support it

However, the establishment of a system of official observers on board vessels in EU waters to spot check on catches and discards is central to the Government's proposals for CFP review, submitted to Brussels.

The Minister's principal preoccupation with Brussels over the past week has related to the Sky Sports/FAI row and he dismisses a claim made by former arts minister Mr Michael D Higgins that both he and the Taoiseach were "complicit" in the debacle. The Labour TD for Galway West, who drew up a Labour Party Bill on broadcasting after he left office, which also limited cross-ownership of the media, says that Ms de Valera "threw in the towel" when faced with the initial hostility of the main sporting organisations over proposals to legislate for a protected list of events.

The Minister says sporting organisations threatened legal action at that stage and "there were very valid reasons from a competition point of view. It is very simplistic for people to criticise something that is quite complex, and the point is that you can't pass a law that takes property rights away from people."

Mr Ahern stands firm on his decision to consult sporting organisations again, in spite of a European Commission contention that he does not have to do so. "It is in our legislation - section three of the Bill - and Brussels may not be aware of that," he says.

The future of RTÉ, its financial state and its bid for a licence fee increase, is the other "live" broadcasting issue on the Minister's desk. He has already linked a decision on this to the impending report by the Forum on Broadcasting, although the specific issue is not within the Forum's terms of reference. He says he had a "full and frank discussion" with members of the forum earlier this week. He expects its report in early August.

"As I understand it, RTÉ is going to make a further licence fee increase application, and we will have to look at that in relation to the forum's report and in relation to the value-for-money issue," he says. "There is a very fine balance between allowing RTÉ to develop and also ensuring that the licence fee money is handled wisely. It is not just a case of throwing money at an organisation," he says.

Asked about RTÉ's delay in releasing details of the salaries of its top broadcasters, the Minister says: "Whatever has to happen has to be transparent. If there is taxpayers' money going into any organisation, taxpayers have to be able to see how it has been spent."

The Minister has also met the board and chairman of An Post and is keeping a close eye on its recovery plan. The possibility of a strategic alliance with an international partner is "not on my agenda", he says, but refers to the Programme for Government agreement on a "case-by-case" approach to any decisions on the future of semi-state companies.

A substantial amount of taxpayers' money was being channelled to An Post through the social welfare contract, which he views as a form of State subvention.

"The transfer of post offices to postal agencies has gone reasonably well on a pilot basis," he says, and a report from a group headed by Mr Phil Flynn is due shortly. Any further decisions will be taken "in agreement and partnership" with An Post and various representatives, he says.

Alongside his other duties, the Minister is charged with implementing the legislation that replaces the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulation (ODTR) with a three-person commission. "We've been very well served by the ODTR up till now," he says.

Although Minister of State at the Taoiseach's Department, Ms Mary Hanafin, is responsible for the information society, Mr Ahern will be responsible for physical infrastructure and policy. He says that rolling out broadband is one of the Government's key commitments.

The French government has been considering renationalisation of France Telecom, the former state-owned phone company. Asked if he believes that the decision here to float Eircom was a mistake, he says he "doesn't think it is relevant". Eircom is "a private company now and standing on its own two feet, hopefully competing in the market with others and others competing with them".

The Minister defends the Government decision to pay €7.7 million to Global Crossing, as it was bound contractually to do so. "Global Crossing in Ireland is not bankrupt, and its associated company is subject to Chapter 11 procedure - which a lot of companies have experienced."

That deal has given this State "excellent connectivity" and was a "forward-thinking move" on the part of his predecessor, he says.

The natural resources and energy sectors of the Minister's brief may sit well together in the new Department, and developments over the water will be watched closely. Britain is running out of reserves and may become a net importer of fuel - eastern Europe being one possible source - by 2005.

The Corrib gas field development was close to the heart of Mr Ahern's predecessor, Mr Fahey, as unofficial "minister for the west", and the new Minister is eager to see gas being brought ashore as quickly as possible. He says he is in favour of greater availability of gas and more competition within this market. However, Corrib has hit planning difficulties, with An Bord Pleanála seeking further information relating to the onshore terminal. "I have to respect the planning process," he says.

The Minister says he will be meeting the energy regulator, Mr Tom Reeves, very shortly to discuss mutual areas, with his own role relating to policy generally. On policy, the heads of Bórd Gais Éireann and the ESB are eager to see the companies floated on the stock exchange.

"All sorts of options" will be looked at, the Minister says, "but I can't second guess anything in relation to future decisions".

Complete deregulation must be in place by 2005, he says, and it is "moving on apace". However, he does not appear to be concerned that potential investors in the electricity market, such as BP and Scottish Power, have left.

In relation to Bord na Móna, he says that no Government decision has been taken on it. Nor has there been any discussion at Government level on its possible privatisation, although this newspaper has reported that advance plans are believed to have been presented to the Department of Finance and former Department of Public Enterprise. "Pure speculation," he says, with a smile.