THOUSANDS of television viewers in Mayo will lose BBC and ITV signals from midnight on Sunday, as deflector operators in the county step up their campaign for retransmission licences.
According to a statement from Balla Community Television, the operators of deflector equipment in Balla, Achill, Ballinrobe, Bangor, Castlebar, Claremorris, Westport and Louisburg, will join the protest. Deflector operators in Connemara will also switch off.
"The present position results from a political decision and can only be solved by a political decision by the Minister for Transport, Energy and
Communications," the statement said.
"It has already been established by the courts that exclusive licences cannot be issued by the Minister. However, despite repeated requests, the Minister has failed to acknowledge the right of the groups to apply for a licence to rebroadcast terrestrial television signals."
Mr Joe Gibbons, a spokesman for the deflect or groups, said up to 100,000 viewers in Mayo and 5,000 in Connemara would be affected by the protest. He admitted the move was designed to bring political pressure on the Government and the Opposition.
He described as "totally noncommittal" a statement on the issue earlier this week by the Fianna Fail chief whip, Mr Noel Dempsey. The Progressive Democrats had yet to declare their hand.
"As far as Labour is concerned, we don't exist," Mr Gibbons said.
The groups also plan to hold public meetings between now and the end of April in towns such as Castlebar, Westport, Ballinrobe and Ballyhaunis. If they take place against a background of blank screens, they are likely to play a pivotal role in the forthcoming election campaign in the marginal five-seater constituency.