Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 11 October 2023

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media

Inclusion in Sport: Discussion

Mr. Tom Ryan:

We spoke about this topic not so long ago. The Deputy will probably remember that. I do not have the information off the top of my head today like I did on that occasion. The number of free to air games shown in 2023 was significantly - in the order of 20% or 30% - higher than would have been the case previously. There is a perception that games are on GAAGO which otherwise would have been on free to air broadcast. That is not the case. Free to air broadcast has increased significantly. I am conscious of the broadband issue I mentioned. We do not mean to absolve ourselves of responsibility in terms of how we deal with it. It is not purely within our gift, but if that advanced a little bit quicker it is something that would help us. Another thing we have done, which we may need to publicise a little bit more, is that we have a specific package available to nursing homes and care facilities for people who, for reasons of finance or whatever, are not able to avail of the service. It is free to those facilities. We are not becoming gentrified or exclusive or turning our back on any demographic of Irish society. That is not our intention. We will never do that.

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