Vol. 501 No. 6
61 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands the position regarding the transposing into Irish law of Article 3A of the Directive on Television without Frontiers; and the sporting events being included by her in the legislation concerned. [7239/99]
On 20 October 1998 the Government approved my proposals for legislation providing procedures to deal with this matter. The proposals were subsequently referred to the Attorney General for drafting into a Bill. The drafting process is well advanced and officials of my Department are in communication with the Office of the Attorney General with a view to finalising the text of the Bill. It is my intention to bring the Bill back to Government at an early date for authority to publish it.
The proposals envisage that I may, following consultation with the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, by order designate events as events of major importance to society to which access via free television services should be available in the public interest. The Bill itself will not designate any specific events. It would be the intention that only those events that have a special cultural resonance with Irish television viewers will be designated after the legislation has been enacted. It would not be appropriate for me to give, at this stage, any definite indication as to what specific events will be designated.
