FIANNA Fáil must pressure RTÉ into extending the longwave 252 service beyond 2017 the party’s British wing has said.
Fianna Fáil London representatives are travelling to Dublin today for the party’s annual Árd Fheis conference, with the intended closure of the RTÉ service among issues on their agenda.
The party must also engage with the various needs of the Diaspora going forward, claims Fianna Fáil London secretary Audrey Eager.
“Our motions range from highlighting and pushing the need to expedite the right to vote sooner rather than later right through to asking for support from the organisation to put pressure on RTÉ to extend its longwave service beyond 2017,” she said.
Despite an initial closure date planned for earlier this year, RTÉ has now extended its plan to pull the longwave 252 service to 2017.
But the plans have provoked a massive backlash from the Irish community across Britain, with a campaign led by The Irish Post helping to securing the two-year extension, while RTÉ carry out research into the service's long-term viability.
Fianna Fáil’s London branch has been active since 2012 and all of its members are Irish emigrants.
Ms Eager, who was recently elected secretary, has been in London for almost three years after spending time living in other European countries. She claims she is "passionate" about ensuring her party’s foreign policy is tailored to Diaspora needs.
“The more people back in Ireland who can be reached to help them understand that we still need them and their support, but that we want to contribute back to Ireland too, the better,” she said.
Fianna Fáil’s Árd Fheis will get underway this evening in Dublin's RDS, where it continues until tomorrow.
