THE operators of a TV deflector system in east Galway which went back on air yesterday may switch off again in two weeks, according to a local Fianna Fail councillor, Mr Michael Regan.
The system reaches about 2,000 households in Athenry and Loughrea and first went off air 10 days ago because of a threat of legal action by Cablelink. It was switched back on yesterday evening following two public meetings during which hundreds of people pledged their support for the deflector campaign.
According to Mr Regan, subscribers in east Galway were now being asked to pay a levy of £50 a household into a "fighting fund" with a £100,000 target. The money would be used to defend the deflector system in the High Court. The signals would be switched off again in two weeks if insufficient money was raised.
Cablelink, which holds the MMDS franchise for microwave transmissions of BBC and ITV signals in the area, says it is obliged to go to court to protect its investment. A number of other deflector groups in the west, north west and south have received similar warnings in recent weeks. The deflector controversy now seems certain to become a major election issue in affected areas.
Mr Regan said the unlicensed east Galway deflector system had operated successfully for 15 years, rebroadcasting BBC and ITV signals to an estimated 2,000 subscribers for a small annual fee.
They were now being asked to pay "20 times more for the MMDS signals, he said. This was unfair as people in rural areas along the east coast could receive LBBC and ITV for nothing.
"I can't see why they can't legalise it," he said. "Who can afford to pay for the system that Cablelink is supplying? Why not legalise the two of them and let people decide what system they want to go for?" Threat of court action may force the operators of several deflector systems in Mayo to switch off in the next few weeks, according to a spokesman for Mayo Community TV, Mr Padraig Cunnane.
"John Bruton gave us an unequivocal commitment that once Fine Gael came into power, he would grant us licences. He has failed to do this and in an election situation we will be sending that message to every home," he said.
"If we are illegal, it is the Government that is making us illegal because it won't even allow us to apply for a licence. We also have the backing of Mayo County Council in this, which has a policy not to let MMDS into the county. We are not going to roll over on this one," Mr Cunnane said.
The honorary secretary of the Cablelink Communications Association of Ireland, Mr Ray Doyle, criticised the blind support some rural politicians were giving to the deflector campaign.
The deflectors were illegal and did not pay copyright or other fees, he said.
"We have a situation where members of the legislature are not only condoning but actively supporting the breaking of the law by these people," he said.
Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Department of Transport, Energy and Communications has dismissed reports that the operators of a deflector system in Carrigaline, Co Cork, had been asked to sign the Official Secrets Act be fore receiving a report on the issue.
The report was compiled by experts from the European Broadcasting Union, following a High Court decision last year which said that South Coast Community. Broadcasting Service should be allowed to apply for a licence.
She confirmed that the report had reached the Minister, Mr Dukes.
The issues were complex and required "detailed consideration, especially in the context of future national requirements at a time of rapid technological and commercial development, notably in digital television broadcasting both terrestrial and satellite", she said.
It was not intended to publish the report, but it would be given to the Carrigaline group "on a confidential basis", the spokeswoman added.