Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I also welcome an uachtarán agus an ard-stiúrthóir. As the Chairman will probably know, I started my career as a club mentor in my club and graduated through the ranks to become club secretary, club chairman and eventually county board chairman a few short years ago. Therefore, I am well aware of the issues.

I hail from a small county like Carlow which unfortunately does not appear regularly on television.

I welcome the deal, as it is an opportunity for unfortunate emigrants from my county and all others to see what we can produce from time to time. The opportunity may arise this summer if we are fortunate enough to take part in the Leinster championship match against Wexford which I believe is one of the games that will be screened on Sky. I am sure there are plenty of Carlow people around the world who would like to have the opportunity to see our hurlers progress in the future. While I welcome the deal in principle, I understand from working in the GAA for many years that all of the money generated comes back to the clubs. My club, like every other throughout the country, has benefited from that principle which I would like to see continue indefinitely. The major concern among the vast majority at the grassroots, although the consultation process was explained, is that they have a say in the way things are done. They would like to have the opportunity to discuss issues at club level and progress to have them discussed at congress. They believe one has overshot the runway in not discussing the issue at grassroots level, although I take the point that it was discussed. If it had been done in that way, there might have been more positivity. I do not say there is negativity towards it in my part of the country; it has not been an issue and I do not think it is. It is a major benefit for the organisation in general. If the ordinary person at the grassroots had been more directly involved in the consultation process, they would have been happier.

Our Gaelic games are the best in the world and we need to show them to the world. Hurling is top class. Last year we had the best All-Ireland hurling championship in many years and the football championship is also great. The world needs to see our games, especially our unfortunate emigrants who do not have an opportunity to see games. That issue needs to be discussed further. In recent years other competing sports have developed substantially because they went down that road. We need to be able to compete on that level.

In regard to what should happen in the future, it is important that we do not close out games free to air indefinitely. A balance needs to be struck. In general, I welcome the deal. However, I hope smaller counties will benefit more substantially from whatever finances are generated.