Greater Access, Better Learning

RTÉ is committed to improving access services and providing tangible educational tools for citizens.

1. Access Together

The Covid-19 pandemic created challenges for Ireland’s deaf community, who looked to RTÉ to deliver important messages, services and programming. In 2020 the Access Services team delivered Irish Sign Language (ISL) services across a range of channels and platforms, including RTÉ News, RTÉ One, RTÉ2, RTÉ Player and our social media accounts. All government Covid-19-related briefings were broadcast with ISL on RTÉ News and RTÉ Player.

2. Educating Together

RTÉ provided 78 hours of RTÉ Home School Hub with ISL, and nine hours of After School Hub. The Late Late Toy Show was broadcast with ISL for the second time in 2020. In addition to the ISL ‘Because’ promo, RTÉ created three ISL Christmas promos, featuring children from the Holy Family Deaf School, and a Signing Santa to provide ISL during the Toy Show commercial breaks on RTÉ News and RTÉ Player. The Late Late Toy Show was also simulcast with an ISL interpreter.

3. Improving Access

Apart from ISL provision, 94% of all programming on RTÉ One was available with subtitles, 86% of programmes on RTÉ2 and 54% of all RTÉjr programming.

4. Covid-19 World Service

The Covid-19 World Service was a joint initiative of Nasc and Together Ireland to provide a range of Covid-19 public health videos in multiple languages. In 2020, it produced health information videos in over 40 languages and helped bring awareness of the need for multilingual and accessible information for our migrant and ethnic minority communities in Ireland. RTÉ was a proud supporter of this initiative.

5. A Week of Science

Science Week on RTÉ returned in 2020 with a range of engaging science-themed content for people of all ages, across all platforms. In partnership with Science Foundation Ireland, a week of special content was supported by an advertising campaign on television, on radio, online and on social media.