Ireland currently has only one licensed station broadcasting on AM, RTE Radio 1 (with opt-outs). Three local commercial stations have been licensed on AM, Solas (County Dublin), Galway Bay AM (County Galway) and North Munster Radio (Counties Clare and Limerick). However none of these has been able to launch and they have now been superseded by the BCI's new licensing plans. In addition there is a high power unlicensed religous station on 549, broadcasting from County Louth, which now has ITU clearance and a few low power unlicensed stations. Ireland has a large number of unused AM frequencies registered with the ITU, some of which may be used at high power (beamed directionally into Ireland). This is sufficient for two national networks and a handful of other stations. The frequencies are as follows: High power Most of Ireland: 612 kHz, 100 kW (ex RTE 2FM transmitter at Athlone) South East Ireland, 765 kHz, 100 kW (cleared for transmission from Enniscorthy, mid Wexford) Eastern and Central Ireland: 639 kHz, 100 kW (cleared for transmission from Slane, Meath) Eastern and Central Ireland: 549 kHz, 63 kW (cleared for transmission from County Louth, formally used by and unlicensed station) Southern Ireland: 675 kHz, 100 kW (cleared for transmission from Dungarvan, Waterford) North West Ireland: 891 kHz, 50 kW (cleared for transmission from Bundoran, South Donegal) County Mayo: 1251, 50 kW Low power (2 kW except where indicated) County Dublin: 531, 1143, 1278 (ex RTE 2 FM) and 1431 (all 10 kW) County Cork: 1188, 1278 (ex RTE 2 FM) and 1431 (all 10 kW) and 1584 (West) Dundalk: 1323 and Drogheda: 1602 Donegal: 963 kHz (10 kW, ex RTE na Gaeltachta) West Coast: 540 kHz (ex RTE na Gaeltachta) West Kerry: 828 kHz (1 kW, ex RTE na Gaeltachta) County Mayo: 936 (South), 1584 (NW) Athlone: 1305 County Waterford: 1449 (East) and 1413 (West) County Wexford: 1584 County Wicklow: 1602 County Galway: 1359 kHz and 846 kHz (0.4 kW) Counties Limerick and Clare: 864 kHz (4 kW) and 1386 kHz The BCI is proposing a new national network comprising high power AM with low power FM transmitters. A second network could also be licensed on this basis. With FM transmitters in major towns and cities, a lower standard of AM coverage would be acceptable as th esignal strength needed for adequate reception is less outside major towns and cities. Therefore, one national network could use 612 kHz from the Athlone or Tullamore site only, while the other combines a transmitter in the North East on 639 or 549 kHz with a transmitter in Cork or Dungarvan on 675 or 765 kHz. Alternatively, Ireland could apply for 549, 639, 675 or 765 kHz to be cleared internationally for omnidirectional use from the Athlone or Tullamore site, noting that it is very expensive to build a new AM transmission mast. It is unlikely that many of the low power frequency allocations will ever be used, at least for AM.

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