O'Rourke admits deflector issue is "hugely complex"

REGULATIONS to legalise television deflector systems are not "99 per cent completed", the Minister for Transport, Energy and Communications, Mrs O'Rourke, admitted yesterday, having consulted Department officials on the matter during her first day in office.

The move to allow deflectors as drawn up by the outgoing government was proving to be more complex than envisaged, she said. This follows confirmation by the former minister, Mr Alan Dukes that the regulations could not be introduced before he left office "because of legal and other issues".

The National Community TV Association expressed disappointment at the outcome, but a spokesman, Mr Joe Gibbons, said they were prepared to give the new Minister time.

A representative of deflector groups in Waterford, Mr Dermot Kirwan, said he understood the regulations were "99 per cent completed" earlier this week. He called on Mrs O'Rourke to "move as swiftly as possible to sign the new regulations".

The Fianna Fail commitment in its manifesto to allow deflectors and MMDS systems would be pursued by initially having a process of consultation and then taking advice. "It's a hugely complex issue, more complex than I initially thought," Mrs O'Rourke said on RTE's news at One.

It was not as simple as Mr Dukes expecting the incoming Government to complete the process by introducing the regulations. She noted that he had encountered very grave difficulties with his attempt to legalise deflectors. "I don't know yet if they are insurmountable," she added.

She was not going to tick off an outgoing minister, she said, noting that Mr Dukes had been "in a political situation" with an election pending. He had gone down some roads to finding objective analysis, and had encountered practical difficulties and tried to work his way out.

Mr Kirwan, a prodeflector candidate in the election, said they accepted there had been a genuine attempt by the Rainbow Coalition to legalise deflectors.

Fianna Fail had created a legal difficulty 10 years ago when it gave exclusive rights to cable companies to operate MMDS, he said.