Official approval has so far been withheld for an Irish music cable television channel operated by Bob Geldof. However, Mr Geldof has promised to go ahead without Government permission by using EU legislation. His proposal has been welcomed by the cable, music and advertising industries.
Mr Geldof's media company, Planet 24, has sought permission to establish the channel, to be called Atomic TV. But has not heard back from the Minister responsible, Ms de Valera, the Minister for Arts, Heritage, the Gaeltacht and the Islands.
He told The Irish Times he had requested a meeting with Ms de Valera on numerous occasions, but has yet to "receive even the courtesy of a reply."
Yesterday the Cablelink spokeswoman, Ms Tara Delaney, said her company had been approached by Mr Geldof and was "very interested in the concept." It had applied to the Department of Communications last May for a change in its licence, and was still waiting for a response.
Mr Geldof said he was "utterly bewildered by the Government's attitude. There is not one negative factor in the proposal. Everything about it is beneficial. Why cannot Ireland have its own music TV station?"
He said that if permission was not forthcoming he planned to circumvent Irish broadcasting law by making the programmes in Ireland, then sending them to London and back again to Dublin by satellite, to be relayed by cable.
If he does that Atomic will be protected under the EU television directive allowing stations broadcasting in one member-state to be seen in another. Planet 24 has already obtained a licence from the British regulatory authorities to do that.
If Planet 24 goes that route, the Irish authorities would have no control over or contract with the company, and could not impose any conditions. It would be governed by the British Independent Television Commission (ITC) regulations.
Ms Delaney said the option was there for Cablelink to broadcast Atomic if it was delivered via satellite from London, but for cost reasons it would prefer if it was available direct within Ireland.
Mr Geldof first approached the Departments of Communications and of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht last May.
He says he was given a very positive response. However, his proposal was sent to the Independent Radio and Television Commission, even though it has no legal role in approving cable television.
It was opposed by the IRTC because it feared it would take advertising from the proposed national television station, TV3.
Since then he has heard nothing. Mr Geldof's company produces the Big Breakfast on Channel 4, and operates Atomic TV in Poland and Romania. It also plans to launch Atomic in several other European countries.
It has an annual turnover of £20 million.
Mr Geldof says Atomic would be similar to MTV, but would reflect each country's culture and music.
Atomic Ireland would showcase Irish bands and support the Irish music industry. It would make it possible for bands to make a living in Ireland, he said.
"I wish there was a channel like this in Ireland when the Boomtown Rats started out."
Atomic would create 50 jobs. He told the IRTC that it would have a 40 per cent quota for Irishproduced music.
Mr Geldof said he was told by the chairman of the IRTC, Mr Niall Stokes, that the IRTC opposed Atomic because negotiations were continuing with TV3. If the Government's reluctance to give Atomic the go-ahead was based on that, he believed it was contrary to EU competition law.