RTÉ radio Medium-wave transmissions:The GAA has again called on RTÉ to reconsider its decision to drop medium-wave transmissions. PRO Danny Lynch contacted the station last week to register the GAA's views on the announcement.

"Our concerns are based on reaction three years ago to the removal of weekend sport from medium-wave," he told this newspaper yesterday. "It transpired that a significant percentage have difficulty getting FM coverage and even long-wave. For instance there are some areas of the western seaboard or the Dingle peninsula, which have little or no reception."

The problem arose in the summer of 2005 when it was proposed to confine the weekend sports programmes on Saturday and Sunday to FM and give the medium- and long-wave slots over to a programme re-broadcasting a selection of the week's broadcasting on Radio One.

As a result of the outcry, mainly from Britain, sport was restored to long-wave, but medium-wave was retained for the Second Helpings programme.

But there were still sports broadcasts on medium-wave with weekday matches and Saturday evening fixtures frequently being broadcast on that waveband.

"Some listeners find it hard to get long-wave," according to Lynch. "I was contacted by one emigrant living in Bristol, who said that in that part of England he could only get medium-wave.

"When this happened three years ago RTÉ responded by putting the move on ice. I don't think this decision is based on any philosophical consideration. It's a matter of cost.

"But that cost has to be set against abandoning Irish people in Britain and some living here, who have difficulties getting adequate reception."

In response Sarah Martin, spokesperson for RTÉ Radio, defused concerns that sport was going to lose its optional non-FM slot at weekends by revealing that the Second Helpings programming would be moving to the DAB (digital audio broadcast) platform.

She also said the decision to bring to an end medium-wave transmission, which was publicised last week, hadn't triggered any major public reaction.

"According to JNLR figures, two per cent of people were found to have 'listened yesterday' to Radio One on medium-wave."

She added that RTÉ intends to broadcast a sports channel on DAB, at first on a trial basis this year.

"UK research indicates that a dedicated sports station would be the most effective way of introducing DAB."