Vol. 439 No. 3
39 Mrs. Doyle asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the discussions, if any, he has had; if so, the groups, north and south, with whom he has had these discussions to enable television viewers in Northern Ireland to receive both RTE and the proposed new Teilifís na Gaeltachta; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I refer the Deputy to my reply to Questions Nos. 19, 96 and 100 on 15 December, 1993, columns 651 and 652 of the Official Report.
Broadcasting frequency spectrum on this island can only be used in accordance with plans drawn up under intergovernmental agreements to which Ireland and the UK are parties. The last meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 28 January, 1994 approved a joint report prepared by Irish and British officials on the question of extending reception of RTÉ television in Northern Ireland. I understand that because of the way broadcast frequencies are planned, any improvements in RTÉ reception which may be derived from this process will also apply to Teilifís na Gaeilge. The Conference forwarded the report to me and to the Secretary of State for National Heritage in Britain for consideration as the Ministers having functional responsibility for broadcasting.
