RTE’s Galway move is still on the long finger
Plans by the state broadcaster, RTE, to move its regional studios to the campus of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) remain on ice.
RTÉ has confirmed to the Connacht Tribune that there are no immediate plans to implement the proposal to move from its city centre studios at the Hynes Building, to the Dublin Road campus.
RTÉ this week reiterated that it would only be moving to the GMIT campus if, and when, it makes financial sense to do so.
In September, 2012, RTÉ surprised staff at its regional offices around the country when it announced plans to join forces with ITs, and to relocate studios to colleges nationwide.
The Galway studios, based in the Hynes Building for over three decades, was to be relocated to GMIT’s Wellpark campus, known as Cluain Mhuire, home of its humanities, arts and media departments.
Long-term the plan within RTÉ is to merge the Galway facility with the TG4 news service located in Báile na hAbhann in Cois Fharraige.
The move to Wellpark was due to start at the beginning of 2013 and was one which was warmly welcomed by GMIT at the time. The move never proceeded, however.
In the past fortnight, GMIT and RTÉ in Galway, as part of a “partnership”, announced plans for a spring talk series. The press release made no mention of the relocation proposal.
In a statement to this newspaper, the national broadcaster said: “RTÉ’s partnerships with Institutes of Technologies are across many different levels and are continuing to develop since they were first announced in 2012. They are not just related to physical moves.
“To date RTÉ Regional studios in Dundalk, Waterford and Athlone have relocated to their local IT campuses, which has proved very successful.”
In relation to the planned Galway move to GMIT lands, RTÉ’s press office quoted its Deputy Director General Kevin Bakhurst who wrote an editorial for the Irish Daily Mail in September 2013 in which he then said: “In Sligo and Galway, we won’t be physically relocating in the short-term but we are continuing to build up important working partnerships with the local ITs. RTÉ will move only when it makes financial sense.”
RTÉ this week said, “This continues to be the position presently.”
It added: “As the press release with GMIT stated last week, RTÉ’s partnership with the institute provides ongoing opportunities for both organisations to collaborate and work together. RTÉ’s relationship with GMIT has been very successful and welcoming to date, and one which we very much hope to continuing developing.”
RTÉ did not give details of when the planned move might proceed.