14 Aib 2014, 12:08
GAA President Liam O’Neill and Director General Páraic Duffy are before the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications tomorrow to outline the rationale for the Association’s new broadcasting contract with Sky Sports.
14 April 2014
Under the new deal, Sky Sports have been granted exclusive rights to 14 football and hurling championship games for the next three years.
Chairman of the Committee John O’Mahony TD says: “The decision announced in recent weeks by the GAA to grant Sky Sports exclusive rights to championship games has provoked considerable public debate. As a Committee with responsibilities in the areas of both sport and communications, we look forward to hearing from Liam O’Neill and Páraic Duffy on the benefits they see accruing to their Association on foot of deal. Committee Members will have an opportunity to raise any concerns around new arrangements, which will see 14 matches available only behind Sky’s paywall. Other aspects of the broadcasting deal, which provides for enhanced coverage of Gaelic games abroad, will also be raised.”
The meeting takes place tomorrow Tuesday 15 April at 12 noon in Committee Room 1, LH 2000. Public proceedings will be broadcast live on Oireachtas UPC Channel 207 can be viewed online here.
Committee proceedings can also be viewed on the move, through the Houses of the Oireachtas Smartphone App, available for Apple and Android devices.
ENDS
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Committee on Transport and Communications
Deputies: John O’Mahony (Chair), Paudie Coffey (Vice-Chair), Michael Colreavy, Timmy Dooley, Dessie Ellis, Tom Fleming, Brendan Griffin, Noel Harrington, Seán Kenny, Éamonn Maloney, Helen McEntee, Michael Moynihan, Patrick O’Donovan, Ann Phelan and Mick Wallace
Senators: Sean D. Barrett, Terry Brennan, Éamonn Coghlan, Paschal Mooney, Ned O’Sullivan and John Whelan