The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland (BCI) is seeking applications for Ireland's first multi-city radio licence.

The new station is to target listeners aged 45 and over, and will be primarily music-driven, incorporating music formats such as golden oldies and easy listening.

Although national, local, regional and quasi-national radio licences have been issued by the BCI in the past, this will be the first multi-city radio service in the country. The station will service the greater Dublin area, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Clare.

The particular musical format will also be a first for an Irish radio station. In the Dublin area, it will compete with Q102 (previously Lite FM), which concentrates on listeners over the age of 35.

It is also expected to eat into the market share of several national and local stations that already have "easy listening" slots.

The BCI identified a demand for this particular type of station after considering the expressions of interest for new commercial sound broadcasting services.

The commission advertised in the national and local press yesterday for applicants to operate the new service. The process of awarding the licence will depend on the number of applicants. Short-listed applicants typically present their application at an oral hearing before the final decision is made.

This new service forms part of the BCI's three-year licensing plan announced in September 2005.

Under the programme, a total of nine new services will be introduced by the end of 2008..