RTÉ has denied allegations from a former head of radio at RTÉ that the station has spoiled the transmission plans of Solas AM, which was awarded a licence to broadcast on the AM wavelength last June.
The Christian radio station had planned to go on air this Easter, but its future is now in doubt, according to a report in this week's Irish Catholic newspaper.
On March 28th Mr Liam Miller of RTÉ wrote to Mr Michael Carroll of Solas AM. He informed Mr Carroll that RTÉ was " not in a position to enter into a contract for a term that would justify the cost of installing and commissioning new transmission facilities at these sites".
The alternative, he suggested, would be either separately, or in conjunction with RTÉ's transmission network, "to seek to identify a site on lands owned by another entity; or to seek an FM frequency which we could facilitate at Three Rock".
Mr Carroll - a former head of radio in RTÉ - said RTÉ had withdrawn an offer of the transmission facility at Beaumont. He claimed that this offer had been made in a telephone call before oral hearings at the Independent Radio and Television Commission (IRTC), which has been renamed the Irish Broadcasting Commission (IBC), last June.
However, RTÉ was "unequivocal that no agreement was given", even though Solas AM maintained that RTÉ had "reneged on a promise that the site could be released".
RTÉ wrote to the IRTC in February last year, informing it that use of the transmitter by another broadcaster would not be entertained as the site itself was in doubt.
Speaking to the Irish Catholic last year, Ms Ann O'Brien, who was a spokeswoman for the then IRTC, pointed out that it was up to "the applicant to draft a transmission proposal and find where they can locate a transmitter".
According to one source in Solas AM, the new radio station is a victim of the cutbacks which have hit RTÉ and the transmitter sites, if sold for development, could earn the broadcaster much desired cash.
Set-up costs now facing Solas AM without the use of RTÉ's transmitters could reach €500,000. The mood within the organisation is to go back to the Minister and the IBC to seek an FM licence.