THOUSANDS of television viewers in Mayo no longer receive BBC and ITV signals because of a threat of legal action against the operators of unlicensed TV deflectors.
Groups in Balla, Achill, Ballinwbe, Bangor, Castlebar, Claremorris, Westport and Louisburg switched off their equipment at midnight last night, citing the legal threat by Cablelink Galway and Government inaction as their reasons.
The campaigners hope to bring intense political pressure on the Government with a series of public meetings throughout the county.
The first will be held in Westport tomorrow week.
Meanwhile, rural water charges campaigners will intensify their campaign with a press conference in Galway today. The National Federation of Group Water Schemes plans to highlight what it describes as the "absence" of Fine Gael policy on group water schemes in rural areas.
It will also publish recent correspondence between the federation and the Minister for the Environment, Mr Howlin. In addition to its core demand for parity of treatment between urban and rural dwellers, it seeks reform of the Environmental Protection Agency and a reconsideration of moves to devolve powers to local authorities.