Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The geoblocking of RTÉ and TG4 programmes in Northern Ireland where many television and mobile app viewers cannot access RTÉ coverage of Irish sporting events must be stopped. The unavailability of RTÉ programming, including the broadcasting of GAA and other sporting fixtures, is the cause of much annoyance and frustration for many people throughout Northern Ireland. Last Saturday evening and Sunday, I had calls from people North of the Border who could not get coverage of the Division Two National Football League Final between Monaghan and Roscommon. This is totally unacceptable.

In 2010, the then-Minister for communications, Eamon Ryan, signed a memorandum of understanding, MOU, on digital television with the British Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. It was clearly stated at that time that the MOU provided for the widespread availability of TG4 in Northern Ireland and BBC services in our State. The MOU underpinned the key role played by public service broadcasting throughout our island. The BBC now proposes to block its audio streaming service to listeners outside the UK, which, if implemented, would be a huge loss for audiences in our State. Turning off BBC Sounds in Ireland is not acceptable. Many of us living in south Ulster will no longer be able to listen to BBC Radio Ulster in our own province.

Some of us, over many years, have advocated for closer and more intense co-operation on a North-South basis in all facets of daily life. These broadcasting decisions fly in the face of such positive developments. The blocking of RTÉ in Northern Ireland and the BBC in our State has to be in breach of the Good Friday Agreement, and particularly in breach of the memorandum of understanding of 2010.

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