Kevin O'Keeffe (Cork East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister. One respects the competence of the IRFU in making this bid and we wish it every success. We are here to ask a few questions and I thank the Minister for coming before us at short notice.

Even this bidding process is creating a feelgood factor for the country and the economy and one or two media pundits are speculating on how it got through so quickly. How much assistance did the Cabinet receive? When was the former Attorney General first requested to brief the Department on the need for the legislation which was passed last night? I am not questioning the process, but there is a perception in the media as to why the Bill was left so late when the process was ongoing for four years. It is nearly 12 months since the Government gave a letter of comfort in support of the bid. Why, therefore, was the former Attorney General so slow in coming back with a second opinion? I will put up my hand. I was probably one of the first to attack the Minister for rushing the legislation, but he told us in good faith last Wednesday that the former Attorney General had come back to telll him that he needed legislation. Why did she change her mind which required this legislation to be brought before us? That is what is causing mayhem among the public. If it was any other legislation required to hold some other event, it would be making the headlines in of all the newspapers, but the fact is that it is creating a feel good factor in the country, which is welcome.

The Minister has mentioned that the broadcasting rights would be outside his control. I thought he gave an indication last Wednesday in the Dáil that some matches would be broadcast free-to-air. Will he clarify the matter?