2002 in Irish television

The following is a list of events relating to television in Ireland from 2002.

Events

14 January – The drama series No Tears debuts on RTÉ Television. On the same day RTE 1 and Network 2 weather is remerged.
22 January – Following a deal with ITV Digital, UTV2 closes and is replaced by ITV2.
March – Give Up Yer Aul Sins, an animated film produced for RTÉ Television by Brown Bag Films, is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.

4 March – The long running Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants begins airing on Irish television for the first time on TG4.

6 June – Dermot Ahern is appointed Minister for Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, with responsibility for broadcasting, responsibility for broadcasting having been transferred to this Department from the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands.

27 October – You're a Star debuts on RTÉ Television. The programme is a text voting talent show to select Ireland's entry for that year's Eurovision Song Contest.

1 December – The Commission for Communications Regulation replaces the Office of the Director of Telecommunications Regulations as the overseer of media regulations in the Irish Republic.
27 December – BBC One Northern Ireland airs the 50th episode of its satirical comedy Give My Head Peace, which was filmed in Dublin.
December – The television licence fee increases by €43, while the black-and-white licence fee abolished. The government establishes a mechanism to seek an annual increase in the fee, with a five-year review. There is also a commitment to introduce proposals for a commercial television licence fee.
Undated – RTÉ Television and RTÉ Radio airs coverage of a Forum on Broadcasting being held at the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham in Dublin.
2002–2003 – RTÉ increases its international news coverage with reporters based in Baghdad, northern Iraq, Kuwait, Jordan and Jerusalem, as well as Washington and London correspondents.
2002–2005 – The RTÉ Strategic Plan is introduced.