asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if in view of the recent rider of a coroner's jury in Dublin, inquiring into the death of a French national landed by boat at Killybegs, County Donegal, he will now permit the establishment of a shortwave radio transmitting station at Killybegs to enable the fishing fleet to keep in constant touch with its home port.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Killybegs (Donegal) Shortwave Station.
14.
On the occasion in question there was no communications difficulty whatever and the message from the trawler was delivered several hours before the vessel arrived.
As I intimated in reply to a question by the Deputy on 4th July, 1967, 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.