Vol. 466 No. 1
102 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the plans, if any, he has to develop a shortwave broadcasting service to allow people all over the world to tune in directly to radio stations in this country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10889/96]
I have no plans to develop a shortwave broadcasting service.
While I welcome initiatives already taken by RTE and other stations to disseminate their services to Irish people and others interested in Ireland living abroad, it is a matter for RTE and other broadcasting stations to decide if and by what means they wish to broadcast their services to Europe and other continents.
For the Deputy's information, RTE reports that it uses a number of satellites to deliver radio services to Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia. Recently RTE launched a comprehensive text and audio service on the Internet which is available to an estimated 80 million users worldwide.
RTE recognises that there are parts of the world where telecommunications infrastructures are not sufficiently developed to allow listeners to avail of such services. Since November 1995, RTE has leased time from an international broadcaster to transmit the "News at Six Thirty" via shortwave twice a day to various parts of the world. It also facilitated the live transmission via shortwave of the 1995 All-Ireland hurling and football finals. RTE reports that it is now evaluating the response to these transmissions and it will consider an increase in the number of hours transmitted via shortwave in the light of that response and if additional time can be negotiated with international broadcasters who operate shortwave transmitters.
