(RTÉ's domestic channels are already available on Freeview, Sky and Virgin Media in Northern Ireland, but not to Great Britain, owing to rights restrictions.
)[citation needed] A similar service aired from 1996 until 2002, operated by a since-defunct cable and satellite channel, Tara Television.
[citation needed] In 2007, a Liberal Democrat councillor, of Irish extraction, Martin Curry, reportedly sought to have RTÉ International carried on the digital terrestrial television service, Freeview, if Sky removed its channels from Freeview, rather than allowing Sky to use the bandwidth for subscription television.
[3] On 17 March 2008, Eamon Ryan the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources announced the launch of "RTÉ International" under the new working title of "Diaspora TV".
A spokeswoman for Eamon Ryan said the decision to postpone the launch of the channel was "a reflection of the financial realities in Ireland and worldwide".