Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 4 Jul 1996

Vol. 468 No. 2

Written Answers. - Television Reception.

Mary O'Rourke

Ceist:

53 Mrs. O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the current position regarding reception of RTÉ television in Northern Ireland; whether there are ongoing talks regarding this matter; if so, the body under which these discussions are taking place; the way in which they are progressing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14895/96]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The issue of access to RTE television in Northern Ireland is one on which the Government places particular importance. I am confident that greater availability of RTE television throughout Northern Ireland would make a significant contribution towards the creation of better North-South awareness and understanding and in this way assist in the process of reconciliation between the two parts of this island. I also believe that it would contribute to greater understanding between the two main traditions in Northern Ireland.

The Irish Government's objective of greater access to RTE television in Northern Ireland is shared by the British Government.

The Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference established a bilateral Broadcasting Group comprising officials and technical experts to examine the issue of RTE television reception in Northern Ireland. That group identified that the most significant improvement in the short-term could be achieved by increasing the power from the RTE transmitter at Clermont Carn in County Louth.

However, the British side were concerned that the increase in power could have adverse effect on the reception of its local services in Northern Ireland.

Representatives of the two relevant regulatory agencies, the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications in Dublin and the Radiocommunications Agency in London, have had a series of meetings to discuss ways of overcoming any problem of interference which could arise from an increased power output from Clermont Carn. I understand that a joint technical report on how to meet these concerns, has been agreed at official level and that political agreement to a phased implementation of the proposed changes to the transmitter at Clermont Carn is now awaited.

At its recent meeting on 22 May last the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference noted the significant progress which has been made in the work which it commissioned on ways of improving RTE reception in Northern Ireland and looked forward to a full discussion of this subject at a future date.