Sinn Féin claim RTÉ repeatedly 'erase' the Six Counties as party introduces new proposed law

SINN FÉIN WILL today introduce a bill to stop RTÉ geo-blocking content in Northern Ireland and to make sure viewers in the North can enter competitions run by the national broadcaster.

The proposed law would also ensure that the six counties in Northern Ireland are included in maps used in RTÉ broadcasts.

The Broadcasting (All Ireland Service) (Amendment) Bill 2025 will be introduced in the Dáil this afternoon without a debate.

Speaking ahead of its introduction, Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said he submitted the bill in July 2024 at a time when RTÉ had taken a decision to exclude audiences in Northern Ireland from access to live news bulletins just as athletes from across the island were taing part in the Patis Olypmpics.

Advertisement

The decision from RTÉ also coincided with Armagh’s win in the All-Ireland men’s senior football final.

“While it was welcome that RTÉ rowed back on that decision following a protest from my colleague Dáire Hughe, Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh, this was just one in a long line of examples of RTÉ not providing equal service to audiences in the North,” he said.

Ó Snodaigh noted that RTÉ also held an audience competition to win tickets to watch that final, but Armagh viewers could not enter.

“Repeated instances of the Six Counties being erased by RTÉ from the map of Ireland add insult to injury,” he added.

“This bill aims to ensure the Six Counties are never again erased by RTÉ, whether in graphic form, by exclusion from audience competitions or by being geo-blocked from content.”

RTÉ has been approached for comment.

Click here to read article