MORE DRAMA, more live music and more documentaries – that’s what the new autumn schedule on RTÉ Radio is promising.

The national broadcaster’s schedule includes some changes, with Oliver Callan’s new satire series Green Tea getting a permanent Saturday slot on RTÉ Radio 1; presenter Rachael English joining the Morning Ireland team full-time; and the introduction of a new programme – Saturday with Charlie Bird.

The drama department will debut four new plays in association with the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival, including programmes on the tragic sinking by the German Air Force of a cross-channel ferry on the Rosslare-Fishguard route, and From Tehran to Thomond, which follows two Iranians who find love in Limerick after meeting in a Pakistani refugee camp.

In Sport, the popular and growing Sport @ Seven slot returns to 7pm weeknights, while RTÉ’s A-list sport team will front Saturday and Sunday Sport through the GAA season and beyond. Radio 1’s Michael Corcoran will also bring his own brand of enthusiasm to the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.

For politics junkies, RTÉ Radio 1 promises “unparalleled coverage” of the race for the park, as does RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

RTÉ 2fm offers more live music in the new season, with coverage from Electric Picnic and Arthur’s Day. It will also be the anchor broadcaster for Eurosonic 2012 – Europe’s biggest new music event.

The new season will also see the launch of the new RTÉ Radio Player.

“Three years ago, as the country slid into unprecedented economic difficulty, we in RTÉ Radio made a pledge: that we would do all we could to protect our programme output and to serve our listeners to the maximum on air,” said Clare Duignan, Managing Director of RTÉ Radio.