Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 78: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources if he has plans to extend RTE broadcasts to enable Irish people living in Britain to access RTE programmes on their televisions; his views on whether RTE broadcasts to Britain can be restored in view of the fact that they have been unavailable there for a number of years; the importance attached to the provision of this service in the report of the task force on the Irish abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8218/05]

Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)
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I refer the Deputy to my reply to Question No. 89 on 8 February 2005 which read as follows:

RTE's statutory mandate, as defined in section 28 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2001, provides that RTE's radio and television services shall be made available, in so far as is reasonably practicable, to the whole community on the island of Ireland. It is a matter for RTE to determine how best to fulfil its statutory mandate and I have no function in the matter.

RTE is not mandated to make its services available to Irish communities living abroad. RTE has, however, acted in a number of ways that has resulted in its radio or television services being more widely accessible. In addition to being available throughout Ireland, RTE's long wave radio service is available throughout much of the UK and parts of Europe. RTE services can also be accessed online.

In the past, certain RTE television programming was available in the UK on a commercial television channel, Tara TV. I understand that the company went into liquidation due to a lack of commercial success. Advances in broadband technology will give RTE additional options for making its services available in the future. This is likely to result in increased opportunities for Irish people living abroad to access RTE's radio and television services.