asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs why the strength of the RTE 2 signal to the Castlebar Transmitter, County Mayo, has been reduced by approximately 12DB-14DB thereby denying many viewers the full option of RTE 2 programmes; and if he will rectify this unsatisfactory situation immediately.

(Dublin South-Central): The RTE 2 transposer at Castlebar uses the same frequency as the RTE 1 transposer at Achill. RTE say that in order to avoid interference with RTE 1 reception in Achill, the RTE 2 transposer at Castlebar began operating at less than its authorised power. Following some technical adjustments it was possible to quadruple the power thus giving a very significant improvement in the RTE 2 signal in the service area of the Castlebar transposer. The transposer will be brought up to full power when arrangements aimed at eliminating the problems of mutual interference with the RTE 1 transposer at Achill have been implemented. RTE hope that the work necessary to effect the required changes will be completed by the end of this year.

Does the Minister consider it just that people in the Castlebar area who pay for colour television licences in order to receive two television channel transmissions only receive one at the moment, and that the people in the Achill and Belmullet areas do not receive any channel at all?

(Dublin South-Central): I do not agree that the people in the Achill area are not receiving any channel.

They receive Channel 1 with the sound of RTE 2.

(Dublin South-Central): We hope to have RTE 2 available in Achill at the end of the year.