asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will permit Donegal Co-operative Fisheries Limited to acquire a telephone transmitter to enable them to keep in constant touch with their fishing fleet off the west coast of Ireland, and thus enable the marketing sections of the co-operative to arrange transport of the catch to various markets in Great Britain and Ireland and to advise markets of actual catches.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Telephone Facilities for Donegal Fishing Co-operative.
6.
Owners of trawlers fishing off the west coast of Ireland can exchange telegrams with their fleets through the official coast radio stations at Malin Head and Valentia and no complaint has been received from the firm mentioned by the Deputy regarding this service.
My Department is not prepared to give permission to any firm to set up a medium wave radio station for the purpose of communicating with ships at sea but an application for a licence under the Business Radio Regulations in respect of equipment operating in the Very High Frequency band will be considered. I would point out, however, that this type of equipment has a much shorter range than medium wave stations and that trawlers are not normally equipped for VHF transmission and reception.