Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 15 Dec 1993

Vol. 437 No. 3

Written Answers. - Television Reception.

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

19 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the proposals, if any, he has to enable television viewers in Northern Ireland to receive both RTE television channels and the proposed new Teilifís na Gaeltachta; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Austin Currie

Ceist:

96 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht whether he will have discussions with his counterpart in Northern Ireland about the possibility of co-operation to ensure that television broadcasting in Irish will be available throughout this island; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Dinny McGinley

Ceist:

100 D'fhiafraigh Mr. McGinley den Aire Ealaíon, Cultúir agus Gaeltachta ar phléigh sé bunú Theilifís na Gaeilge leis an Aire Ealaíon i dTuaisceart Éireann le linn a chuairte ansin; agus an bhfuil aon chinneadh déanta faoi chomhoibriú maidir le freastal a dhéanamh ar an tír ar fad.

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

Tógfaidh mé Ceist 19 agus Ceisteanna Scríofa 96 agus 100 le chéile.

At present, it is estimated that RTE reception is available to 35 per cent of the population of Northern Ireland. The transmitter network for Teilifís na Gaeilge, if configured in the same way as the RTE transmitter network, would achieve similar coverage. The question of improving or extending RTE or Teilifís na Gaeilge coverage beyond the estimated 35 per cent figure is complex. One consideration is that the broadcasting frequency spectrum can be used only in accordance with plans drawn up under international agreements to which Ireland is a party. Difficult technical, radio frequency and policy problems have to be overcome to allow RTE reception in Northern Ireland to be improved or extended.

At the last meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, Ministers noted progress on the reception of RTE in Northern Ireland. Within the framework of the conference, detailed discussions on extending RTE coverage in Northern Ireland are ongoing between officials of my Department, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications and representatives of British Government Departments in London with responsibility for broadcasting policy and radio frequency planning and management. A report will be submitted to the next meeting of the Conference.

Chomh maith leis sin, thóg mé an t-ábhar seo leis an Uasal Michael Ancram, a bhfuil freagracht air mar Aire Ealaíon agus Cultúir i dTuaisceart Éireann. Thóg mé an t-ábhar freisin leis an Uasal Peter Brooke, Rúnaí Oidhreachta na Breataine, a bhfuil freagracht air ó thaobh craolacháin.

Tá dóchas agam, le dea-thoil ó gach taobh — rud atá ann, creidim — go mbeifear in ann feabhas a chur ar chúrsaí maidir le glacadh RTÉ agus Theilifís na Gaeilge i dTuaisceart Éireann.