Michael Ring
Ceist:626 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands if she will intervene with RTE to ensure that the television reception (details supplied) in north Mayo is improved. [1224/00]
Written Answers. - Television Reception.
The issue raised by the Deputy is the day-to-day responsibility of the RTE authority and I have no statutory function in the matter.
However, in accordance with long-standing custom, I am prepared to furnish to the House information supplied by RTE in response to questions relating specifically to improvements in reception of RTE's national broadcasting services.
RTE reports that television reception in the Pollathomas area of County Mayo is marginal and it has endeavoured for many years to acquire a suitable site for a transmitter to improve coverage of this area of north Mayo.
RTE states that, due to local objections, it was not possible to progress this project to-date. RTE further states that viewers in the Pollathomas area who receive their television reception from the Achill UHF transposer should have no difficulty with reception using a UHF group B outdoor aerial, vertically polarised. RTE reports that local television dealers agree with RTE's tests that reception from the new UHF Achill transposer is better than that which was received from the old VHF system at Achill which was taken out of operation.