RTÉ has applied to the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland for a licence to allow its television and radio services to be supplied to more than 200,000 customers here on the Sky satellite platform.

The application, which is currently being considered by the Commission, was made despite previous assertions from RTÉ that it did not need a licence to sign the deal with BSkyB.

RTÉ initially announced the distribution deal with BSkyB in November and said its television and radio services would be made available to people using the Sky satellite platform from April.

But the Commission temporarily blocked RTE's plan to broadcast on the Sky digital network last month, claiming the broadcaster would have to obtain a licence. The Commission ruled that Section 36 of the Broadcasting Act meant the rebroadcasting of any signals of Irish television companies must first be licensed by it.

RTÉ director general, Mr Bob Collins, opposed this position and wrote to the Commission in December, insisting that his legal advice was that RTÉ did not need the approval of the Commission.

An RTÉ spokeswoman confirmed yesterday a formal application had been made and said the station was committed to making its channels available on the Sky platform by April. A Commission spokeswoman said it was now considering the licence application and a decision would be made public in the next couple of days.

A decision to reject the licence application would hurt RTÉ, which was hoping to boost its presence in Northern Ireland through the deal.