Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I move:

That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to amend the Broadcasting Act 2009 to recognise the duty of national public service broadcasters and Coimisiún na Meán to proactively make efforts to ensure equal access to national public broadcasting services across the whole community of the island of Ireland.

Imagine you are a proud parent living in Ireland and your child, who has dedicated his or her whole life to training and preparing to excel in his or her sport, is about to do Ireland proud at the Olympic Games or to line out for the county i bPáirc an Chrócaigh for an all-Ireland final. Imagine turning on RTÉ to see the news in the lead-up to the big day, to catch the excitement gripping the nation about your child's achievement and to watch the nation hold its breath. Imagine then your shame and anger when a blank screen appears and you are told that content is not available in your part of Ireland because, more than 100 years ago, the British drew a line across the country and, more than 100 years later, RTÉ imposes the same border.

My Sinn Féin colleague the MP for Newry and Armagh, Dáire Hughes, secured a U-turn from RTÉ in July of last year before Armagh athletes went on to win Olympic medals for Ireland and the Sam Maguire to boot, proving that RTÉ could have done more in the first instance. Ach níor stop sé sin RTÉ. Lean sé ar aghaidh ag scaradh amach na Sé Chontae go rialta. Le déanaí, ní raibh fáil ag daoine ar an gcluiche sacair idir Éire agus Lucsamburg ar an teilifís coicís ó shin, agus tarlaíonn sé go rialta nach féidir le daoine páirt a ghlacadh i gcomórtais RTÉ, nó gearrtar amach san iomlán iad ón léarscáil atá ann. On occasion, RTÉ even erases the Six Counties from the map of Ireland that it displays on its screens. RTÉ cannot erase the North of Ireland. Our Constitution is very clear: it is the entitlement and birthright of every person born on the island of Ireland to be part of the Irish nation. Sinn Féin's Broadcasting (All-Ireland Service) (Amendment) Bill would require RTÉ to proactively make every effort to include the audiences in the North, and where barriers exist due to competing licensing rights, Coimisiún na Meán and the Minister would have a duty to work with others to achieve the 32-county access.

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