andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether it is proposed to establish a station in the northern part of Ireland so that a satisfactory reception of Telefís Éireann will be available in the six north-eastern counties.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Six Counties Reception of Telefís Éireann.
107.
The establishment of television stations is a matter for the Authority in the first instance. I understand that so far it has not been decided to establish any television stations apart from the main transmitters at Dublin, Kilkenny, Cork, Gort and Sligo and that the question of establishing further stations will depend on the extent of the coverage given by these transmitters.
On the question of reception in the Six Counties I would refer the Deputies to my reply to Deputy Treacy on the 15th instant.
I was not clear from the Minister's reply whether we have accepted or not, under the Stockholm Agreement, that we should not beam a service to the Six Counties?
We have not.
We have accepted the country as a 32-county entity?
That does not come into the question at all. It is a question of interference between stations. The authorities here tried to facilitate themselves in the first place and the broadcasters in the Six Counties and Great Britain from jamming each other's programmes. That is the reason for the Stockholm Agreement. The question of the recognition of the territorial division of this country does not enter into it at all.
Surely our people in the north-eastern counties have a right to receive Telefís Éireann and there is no reason why we should deprive them of it?
I have no reason to believe that they will not receive it.
But surely a Six-County Minister has refused permission for the reception of Telefís Éireann programmes.
This question does not relate to piped television at all.
Is it not a fact that unless they get piped television, they will not get Telefís Éireann programmes in the Six Counties at all?
They will get the same kind of fringe reception as we get here of other programmes.
Is it not a fact that we have now recognised the right of British Television, the B.B.C., to beam a service to our people?
The Deputy is drawing conclusions which are not correct.
You have decided to stand down in favour of the B.B.C.
Can the Minister tell us when all the stations will be in operation?
We hope to have the Sligo one in operation early in the Summer and the rest at the end of the year, about November or December.