The Telecoms Regulator, Ms Etain Doyle, confirmed in a paper published yesterday that she will proceed with short-term licensing for UHF retransmission systems - or deflectors - until digital terrestrial television (DTT) is introduced.
Ms Doyle said she believed the main issue was ensuring a range of high-quality television services to all 3.6 million people in the State, including those that currently receive programmes from deflectors.
"Deflector operators showed initiative in bringing multi-channel viewing to parts of Ireland. There should be no doubt though, in any quarter, that this transition period is short and the viability and use of deflector operators after the introduction of DTT is uncertain," she said.
Following consultation and submissions from 23 operators, the regulator decided changes should be made to the security bond and licence fee while encryption of transmissions was decided to be impracticable.
The decision was welcomed by the South-East Community Television Association, which said in a statement it was pleased the regulator recognised that in certain areas a significant number of households relied on deflectors for UK television services.
A spokesman for the group, Mr Michael Power, said: "It is imperative that operators in the south-east are put on the fast track for licences to ensure speedy resumption of services to their customers."
In line with licence fees payable by other television rebroadcasters, a fee of 3.5 per cent of revenue arising from the deflector services will be payable as well as a refundable security deposit to ensure a smooth transition at the end of the scheme.
The regulator's paper says the advent of DTT will bring a quality range of services to Irish consumers nationwide that will provide effective competition to the cable and MMDS networks, but it will be some time before it is operational.
In the meantime deflector operators, who were praised by the regulator for "the role they have played in the past and in this transition" will be able to transmit.