Oireachtas panel studies televising of US Senate

MEMBERS of the Oireachtas Broadcasting Control Committee visited the US Senate yesterday to discuss how its proceedings are televised…

MEMBERS of the Oireachtas Broadcasting Control Committee visited the US Senate yesterday to discuss how its proceedings are televised. Today they will visit the House of Representatives - the lower house - for similar discussions.

They will also visit the White House for a briefing on "media logistics" connected with presidential announcements and visits.

Tomorrow, the delegation, led by the Minister of State and Government Chief Whip, Mr Jim High gins, will visit the Washington, headquarters of C-Span, the TV channel which televises proceedings in the Senate and the House.

The parliamentarians also hope to meet Senator Ted Kennedy on Friday to discuss the Northern Ireland peace process.

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Senator Kennedy recently appealed to the British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, and the Labour Party leader, Mr Tony Blair, to declare that Sinn Fein would be allowed into the multiparty talks if the IRA declared an immediate and unequivocal ceasefire.

The other members of the delegation are: Mr Dermot Ahern, Fianna Fail Chief Whip; Mr Brian Fitzgerald, Labour Party Chief Whip; Ms Liz O'Donnell, Progressive Democrat Chief Whip; Senator Maurice Manning, Leader of the Seanad; and Senator Donie Cassidy, Fianna Fail.