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Dáil Éireann Seanad Éireann broadcast still Seanad Éireann broadcast still Dáil Éireann
Live Webcasting WMP Flash Flash Radio Phone IPTV IPTV IPTV TV
Network  Internet Internet Internet Internet Dial in Internet Internet Gov Net Cable
Bandwidth (bits/sec)  512k 512k 1m 20k 20 lines 1m M 3m M 1.2m M RF
Houses                  
Dáil Éireann click to view Dáil feed in Windows Media player format click to Dáil view feed in Flash format  * [Listen] (01) 618 4000 IPTV * IPTV * IPTV Cable
Seanad Éireann click to view Seanad feed in Windows Media Player format click to view Seanad feed in Flash Player format  * [Listen] (01) 618 4001 IPTV * IPTV * IPTV Cable
Committees                
Committee Room 1 * click to view Committee Room 1 feed in Windows Media Player format click to view Committee Room 1 feed in Flash Player format  * [Listen] IPTV * IPTV * IPTV Cable
Committee Room 2 * click to view Committee 2 feed in Windows Medai Player format click to view Committee 2 feed in Flash Player format  * [Listen] IPTV * IPTV * IPTV Cable
Committee Room 3 * click to view Committee Room 3 feed in Windows Media Player format click to view Committee Room 3 feed in Flash Player format  * [Listen] IPTV * IPTV * IPTV Cable
Committee Room 4 * click to view Committee Room 4 feed in Windows Media Player format click to view Committee Room 4 feed in Flash Player format  * [Listen] IPTV * IPTV * IPTV Cable
Other                  
Test Channel * Test and Playback Channel in Windows Media Player format Test and Playback Channel in Windows Media Player format   [Listen]        *  
Multiscreen 6 Click to view multiscreen channel - Dáil, Seanad, and 4 committees in Flash Player Player format   [Listen]        * Cable
Multiscreen 4       Cable
Recordings      
Dáil Éireann Play      
Seanad Éireann Play      
Committees * Play      
Video Clip Tool Edit      
Request Channel                 [Cable]

* These channels are being tested at present and will be on-line early in 2010. Various committees may be webcast  on the above committee channels, or on the test channel, on a experimental basis.

Rules of Coverage

The Joint Administration Committee and the Working Group of Committee Chairmen have approved the Webcasting of the Dáil, Seanad, and Parliamentary Committees.

Please note that use of Webcasts and broadcasts of the Houses and Parliamentary Committees must be in accordance with the Standing Orders of both Houses and the Rules of Coverage, in particular:

"... that recordings or extracts of the proceedings shall not be used in programmes of light entertainment, political satire, party political broadcasts or in any form of advertising or publicity, other than in the form of news and current affairs programme trailers...".

Get Windows Media Player The free Windows Media Player should be installed on your PC to enable you to view the Media Player Webcasts provided in association with HEAnet.
Get Flash Player The free Flash player should be installed on your PC to enable you to view the Flash Webcasts provided in association with HEAnet.
VideoLAN VLC Media player IPTV Internet The free VideoLAN VLC Media Player should be installed on your PC ito enable you to view the Intermet IPTV MPEG4 multicasts provided in association with HEAnet.
IPTV 
Gov Net
 MPEG4 on the Government Networks

The Government Networks IPTV MPEG4 multicasts are available to Government Departments, Offices and agencies on the Government Networks, provided in association with the Department of Finance. Further details about the MPEG4 IPTV service on the Government Networks are available in the PDF document on the left.

This software should be installed on your PC to enable you to view the Internet IPTV MPEG4 multicasts provided in association with the Department of Finance. The client software required is made up of two components: The Elecard MPEG Player (currently version 4.5 and costing US$20) and the Elecard AVC PlugIn for MPEG Player (currently version 2.0 and costing US$30) www.elecard.com

For technical queries about the Government Networks IPTV service, please contact Ken Barclay, CMOD, Department of Finance, Lansdowne House, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4. Phone: 01 604 5018.

Webcasting and IPTV Services

The Dáil, Seanad, and parliamentary committees Webcasting and Internet IPTV services are provided in association with HEAnet, Ireland's National Education and Research network, a not for profit company established by the universities and the Higher Education Authority.

Comments

If you have any comments on these Webcasting or IPTV service, please contact Leo Bollins in the eDemocracy Unit of the Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas, Leinster House, Dublin 2, Ireland, tel 01 618 3568.

Experimental services

Technical Details

  • This Webcasting service commenced on Tuesday 11 October 2005, replacing the experimental service which ran since 1999.
  • Multiscreen 6 shows the Dáil, Seanad and four committee rooms on one channel.
  • Multiscreen 4 shows four committee rooms on one channel.
  • Please note that recordings of debates since 1991 are available for purchase from the Oireachtas Broadcasting Unit on VHS and DVD. Telephone 01 618 3789.
  • Create your own Video Clips of Dáil and Seanad recordings: Webcasting Video Clip Creation Tool
  • This service changed from 4:3 to 16:9 widescreen on 1 December 2006.
  • From 27 January 2009, both Windows MediaPlayer and Flash Webcasting streams of Dáil and Seanad Éireann, in widescreen format. Prior to that date only Windows Media player was provided.
  • The IPTV Web MPEG2 service on the Internet will be upgraded to MPEG4 in January 2010. This service is available where Internet service providers permit multicast IP on their networks, and the ISPs peer with HEAnet. The service is also available on educational and research networks.
  • An MPEG4 Internet service will be available early in 2010.
  • Webcasting of committeees will be available early in 2010.
  • The RF cable television service is available in Leinster House and nearby Government buildings. This service is provided in association with the Office of Public Works.
  • WMP = Windows Media Player.
  • M = Mulitcast IP.
  • The feeds of the Dáil, Seanad and parliamentary committees are provided by the Oireachtas Broadcasting Unit (OBU) at broadcast digital quality (SDI), and encoded using digital encoders, with the exception of the 4 committees split screen channel which is provided in association with the Office of Public Works.
  • For the Dáil and Seanad agenda, including a full schedule of business including sitting times, please see This Week in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
  • The Webcasting system via HEANet has access to a total of 32 Gbit/sec resilient international capacity, and 10 GB resilient capacity in Ireland, plus direct broadband connections to all universities and schools in Ireland. The connections include:
    • 10 GB (resilient) connection to the INEX (the Internet Neutral Exchange in Ireland),
    • 10 GB (resilient) to the General Internet
    • 10 GB (resilient) connection to GEANT network (European)
    • 1 GB (resilient) to Janet network (UK) and
    • 1 GB (resilient) to NIRRAN (Northern Ireland)
    • Universities, colleges, and schools