Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 October 2024
340. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if her Department maintains a policy on ensuring that residents of Northern Ireland have equal access to Irish sporting events, including by way of broadcasting; and if she has discussed the matter with her counterpart in the British Government. [41326/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra341. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if Coimisiún na Meán has a role in ensuring access by residents of Northern Ireland to broadcasting of sporting events by Irish broadcasters; and, if not, her plans to transfer such powers to it. [41327/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 340 and 341 together.
While I recognise the potential impact on viewers in Northern Ireland, at an operational level the acquisition of sports rights and the geographical areas in which they are broadcast is a commercial matter for the relevant sporting bodies, which usually provide broadcasting licences on an exclusive territorial basis. Neither I nor my Department have a role in these commercial arrangements.
The Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act 2022 allowed for the establishment of Coimisiún na Meán and provides for the powers and functions of An Coimisiún. As the independent media regulation body of the Republic of Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán has no remit over commercial arrangements regarding sporting rights, nor over matters relating to broadcasting in the UK.
While decisions on the coverage of sporting events are a matter for rights holders and broadcasters, I would encourage sports rights holders and relevant broadcasters to have in place suitable arrangements to ensure Northern Ireland residents can continue to access sports coverage from the Republic. I have also asked my officials to discuss this matter with their counterparts in the UK Government.
