Funferal

TV service for Irish emigrants gets closer, but still not there

I’ve posted previously about RTÉ moves to provide services to Irish emigrants in the UK, and Labour TD Emmet Stagg’s efforts in the area. I include his latest statement below.

Deputy Emmet Stagg has welcomed moves by RTE seeking to provide a dedicated service to the Irish community in Britain and he called on the Government to “provide for this service as promised in its task force report on the Irish abroad”.
He said: “I have campaigned on this issue for some time for the Irish community in Britain. Through a series of parliamentary questions I tabled in the Dail and in correspondence with the Director of RTE, it is clear there are no insurmountable legal or technical problems to provide this service. In fact the financial cost of providing RTE signals to Britain would be covered by an additional 10p per week from the Irish television licence.
“This is such a paltry sum that it is unbelievable that it prevents Irish citizens in Britain from having the real contact with home that Irish television reception would give them. I have no doubt there would be a very positive reaction to this increase in licence fee for such a worthy cause, of course it could also be provided by direct Government subsidy. We cannot ignore the isolation suffered by some of our Irish emigrants and the comfort such a station could provide. This was detailed in the task force on Irish emigrants published three years ago and despite promises by Ministers and the Taoiseach himself we are no closer to realising this important goal.
“The campaign to improve services to the Irish abroad is ongoing and the Labour Party is determined to keep the pressure on this issue until it is finally resolved. It is high time the Taoiseach delivered on his own promise and to stop hiding behind guff about legal and financial problems. His sincerity on this matter will be judged by his actions rather than words. This service can and should be provided without delay.”