RTE is committed to the promotion of the national culture in all its diversity, including the Irish language. It has proved this through its investment in Raidio na Gaeltachta and TG4 as well as its other channels, where it has built up significant audiences for Irish programmes, far removed from the "tiny minority" of which Mr Redmond speaks.
Madam, - Brendan M. Redmond (January 14th) suggests that RTÉ should remove Irish language programmes from its schedules, given that Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4 are available.
As a public service broadcaster, RTÉ provides programmes for a diversity of interests - not least Irish speakers. While Raidió na Gaeltachta provides a 24-hour Irish language service, seven days a week, RTÉ must also serve listeners who may wish to improve their Irish and who enjoy Irish language programmes as part of their daily listening on RTÉ Radio One. The suggestion that Irish be relegated to a sole radio station would do a grave disservice to the Irish language, effectively confining listeners to one channel.
RTÉ is committed to the promotion of the national culture in all its diversity, including the Irish language. It has proved this through its investment in Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4 as well as its other channels, where it has built up significant audiences for Irish programmes, far removed from the "tiny minority" of which Mr Redmond speaks.
In the area of television specifically, RTÉ is committed to increasing its Irish language output. By 2006, an additional 15 hours of Irish will be broadcast on RTÉ1 and Network 2, representing a 20 per cent increase from 2002. Programmes such as Léargas attract consistently high ratings, with an average audience of 196,000 in 2002, and are testimony to the interest in Irish language programmes on RTÉ. - Yours etc.,
DEIRDRE HENCHY,
Corporate Information
Manager,
RTÉ,
Dublin 4.