Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 2000

Vol. 525 No. 2

Written Answers. - Television Reception.

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

764 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands the reason areas of Inishowen, County Donegal, have no TV3 or T na G and poor RTE coverage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24299/00]

Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (Miss de Valera):

Reception of TV3 is a matter in the first place for the station under the terms of its contract with the Independent Radio and Television Commission. I understand that TV3 has a commercial arrangement with RTE for the provision of transmission facilities. Reception of RTE and Teilifís na Gaeilge services 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 to reception of these services.

RTE informs me that the Inishowen peninsula of County Donegal is served by four transmitters at Malin, Moville, Fanad and Holywell Hill each providing RTE 1, Network 2 and Teilifís na Gaeilge. Generally, viewers in the Inishowen peninsula have good quality reception of the three mentioned stations but there are a number of pockets such as Cross, Quigley's Point and Speenogue where reception is very marginal. RTE is currently examining ways of improving reception of their services in Cross and Speenogue.