 RTÉ said it intended to honour the commitment in the 2007 Broadcasting Act and hoped to launch the station by the end of 2009.A spokeswoman for Eamon Ryan said the decision to postpone the launch of the channel was "a reflection of the financial realities in Ireland and worldwide".She said the minister is committed to the idea of RTÉ International and that it could be a "brilliant product" similar to BBC World News.