[Kunst]

The whole situation of BBC channels being available in Eire but RTE being fiercely protected in mainland UK seems vastly unfair on the face of it. I assume it's because of the complex politics of Northern Ireland and because adding "and Ireland" to rights packages costs the BBC peanuts but adding "and UK" would be prohibitive for RTE?

It's a situation replicated towards all of Europe among smaller nations, there's nothing surprising.

German operations cater Austria and German speaking Switzerland etc. but often ÖRF and SRF among the many don't.

Actually German, French broadcasters are very often broadcast with local ad windows into Belgium , CH, Austria and so on