Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 May 2010
54 Deputy Liz McManus asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport her views on the free to air proposals to allow the televising of the Heineken Cup matches and the RBS Six nations championships; the discussions she has had with the Department of Communications on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20701/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra57 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport if she has conducted any studies, discussion or analysis on the effects on sport and the funding of sport in the State of the proposal (details supplied) to add Heineken Cup rugby, the Cheltenham Festival and certain All-Ireland GAA matches to the list of events that are of major national importance and therefore free-to-air; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20685/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra59 Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport if she has met with any rugby organisations, clubs or groups to discuss the potential effects of making the Heineken Cup free-to-air; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20686/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 54, 57 and 59 together.
I recently met with representatives of the Irish Rugby Football Union who briefed me on the organisation's opposition to the proposals by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to make a number of additions to the current list of designated events of major importance to society, thus making them free-to-air for Irish television viewers. The IRFU considers that any form of change to the existing designated list would have a very significant impact on revenues to the organisation which would hugely impact on its grass roots programmes and would lead to an exodus of professional players to other jurisdictions. The IRFU advised me that the proposals would undermine the economic model on which the funding of Irish rugby is based.
I have also met with representatives of the GAA to discuss the proposals as they relate to Gaelic Games while the proposals do not have the same impact on the GAA as they do on rugby.
Under legislation, the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is required to consult with me before bringing forward any changes to the designated list. I have already had informal discussions with the Minister about his proposals. He has now written to me seeking my views and I intend to fully engage with the Minister on this issue while consulting further with the relevant national governing bodies.
I believe that there is a need to maintain a balance between the rights of the public to have free to air access to sports events and the rights of sporting bodies to fund and thereby sustain and develop their sport.
