Church broadcasts of Mass to resume

CHURCH radio broadcasts to the sick and housebound are set to resume after they were banned for interfering with air traffic control signals.

Earlier this year the Government stopped churches broadcasting Mass on the FM frequency because of complaints from transatlantic pilots flying 30,000ft over Ireland. Now the ComReg, the communications regulator, has approved a new frequency so the housebound, sick and elderly can hear Mass via special FM radios.

Noel O’Flynn, chairman of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communications, said: “The move will be a huge relief to thousands of people across the country. They were left without their Church services while ComReg was investigating complaints that certain radio frequencies may have been interfering with aircraft controls.”

Now ComReg has set up a licensing scheme so churches can broadcast locally on the 27.6 MHz to 27.99 MHz frequency on FM. Receivers capable of tuning into the service are widely available from electronic equipment stores and are relatively cheap to buy, Mr O’Flynn said.

The ban was brought in after an investigation by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) into reports of radio interference from pilots at high altitude over Ireland. Investigators said the regular timings of the interference led them to believe the broadcasts of Mass were the source of the problem.