Did the Minister not state very recently that in his view there should be quite a number of commercial stations and at the same time quite a number of community stations? If that be the case, how does he envisage the community stations licensing themselves?

I think that the Deputy is probably misconstruing what I said. I said that I anticipate a certain development. That is not to say that that will not take place — my guess is as good as anybody else's in this case. I imagine that we are likely to have different types of radio stations, some very local indeed and perhaps others more widespread. As the Deputy will be aware, there are a number of pirate stations in operation which are completely community stations, in that they are run by community interests and not for profit. There are other stations which are only profit-orientated. I cannot be precise and cannot anticipate how this will develop. I imagine it likely that we will have some sort of two-tier system.

I shall allow Deputy Reynolds a final supplementary and Deputy Gallagher a supplementary.

Surely the Minister is trying to mislead the House when he says that he is not in the guessing game? If heads of the Bill have been agreed by Government, surely he knows exactly the position and the guidelines which have been agreed at Government level to put to the local authorities on which they will base their assessment of the whole situation?

Just to clarify the point, whatever legislation this House may pass will not dictate necessarily the number of stations which will emerge. either at the very small community level or wider, regional or local level. It is very hard to anticipate exactly how many stations are likely to emerge.

In other words, the Government have not agreed their guidelines to give to the local Independent Local Radio Authority when it is set up.

I have already told the House that the Government have almost completed their consideration of the matter.

Has it taken two and a half years almost to complete that consideration?

Would there be any ideological problems?