Revamped Dáil TV to be beamed into 1.2m homes

Makeover plans for a new, live Dáil television station will include coverage of proceedings through sign language and Twitter feeds which will be piped into some 1.2m homes.

TDs and senators were given a sneak preview of Oireachtas TV yesterday which will go live in September, ahead of the long-awaited banking inquiry being broadcast on the new channel.

Proceedings from Leinster House will be provided through Sky, UPC and Eircom and will reach an estimated 80% of viewers.

The Committee on Administration received a presentation from Oireachtas officials yesterday which included a clip of how the new channel will look and sound.

Proceedings from the Dáil, Seanad and committees will go out 24 hours a day on the dedicated channel. Select proceedings will be live during the day and introduced by presenters while viewers can watch highlights at night.

However, a dispute with RTÉ means that its Saorview service will not broadcast the channel. Oireachtas officials say costs demanded by the state broadcaster are too high.

Politicians are expected to ask officials from RTÉ to come to Leinster House to discuss the impasse.

Currently, live coverage of the Oireachtas goes out through UPC and reaches 20% of viewers.

Plans for the new dedicated channel are expected to cost €200,000. They will include more cameras, sign language coverage of hearings (including the budget), a live Twitter feed on the channel and a news ticker updating viewers on votes and proceedings.