RTE's current affairs programme, Prime Time, was not broadcast last night when new digital equipment broke down minutes before the show was due to air at 9.30 p.m.
The broadcast was replaced without explanation by a short film about space travel. Prime Time was eventually shown at 12.25 a.m. An RT╔ spokeswoman said the programme was delayed due to technical difficulties.
She said: "There was sound but no vision. Because of technical difficulties caused by the refurbishment of the studio and the changeover to digital equipment, the programme output was interrupted. There was no video output."