Sky digital customers in Northern Ireland will be able to receive RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and TG4 as part of their channel lineup from Monday (April 18th) it has been confirmed.

All three channels will be available to customers by 11am that morning and will occupy the following EPG positions:

267 - RTÉ One
268 - RTÉ Two
269 - TG4

In a statement released yesterday, Noel Curran, Managing Director, RTÉ Television, said: "We have always believed that RTÉ services should be available to as wide an audience as possible on all platforms and today is another step towards achieving that goal. We are now, along with TG4, the first broadcasters to be available on Sky digital on an all-island basis."

TG4 Ceannasaí, Pól Ó Gallchóir, said that the extension of the Irish language channel to Sky's Northern Ireland customers was a very welcome development for the thriving Irish language community there. "Since coming on-air in 1996, we have been inundated with requests from the North about how people could access our service," he said. Mr Ó Gallchóir added that this had been a high priority for the channel, particularly given the specific commitments in this regard contained in the Good Friday Agreement, the recent establishment of an Irish language television production fund in Northern Ireland and the current local test transmissions of TG4 from Divis Mountain.

Mark Deering, Director of Sky Ireland, added: "We are delighted to welcome RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and TG4 to the Sky digital platform in Northern Ireland. The availability of these channels will further strengthen Sky's digital offering in Northern Ireland."

RTÉ Television and TG4 have been available on Sky's digital platform in the Republic of Ireland for the past 3 years.