Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 May 1996

Vol. 465 No. 1

Written Answers. - RTÉ Reception.

James Leonard

Question:

99 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the steps, if any, he is taking to ensure that households in Northern Ireland who want to receive broadcasts from the South receive such broadcasts. [9283/96]

Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Mr. M. Higgins)

I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 27 of 14 March, 1996, columns 425 and 426 of the Official Report for that day refer. As I indicated in that reply, I am hopeful of an early successful outcome to the technical discussions which are taking place between the radio frequency management authorities in the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications and their counterparts in the Radiocommunications Agency in London.

Once agreed solutions to any foreseen technical problems can be identified. I am confident of securing political agreement to increasing the power of the RTÉ transmitter at Clermont Carn which should bring about significant improvement to the reception of RTÉ television over a large part of Northern Ireland.