Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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I have been following the Twitter feed from people who are watching this debate live. It is being broadcast on a pay-per-view channel, so the people watching it are paying for it. I support what the GAA is trying to do in reaching out to the disapora. It is very laudable and good. The GAA's president and ard stiúrthóir summed up the impact emigration has had on clubs. I have one minor concern. The success of this will depend on the expectation that is lifted in the countries in which the pay-per-view channel will be made available for our diaspora. As people's expectation builds they may feed back to their subscribers or television channels that they are delighted to get the GAA in Melbourne or wherever and they want more of it. The 14 games are ones that would otherwise not be aired. People are anxious that there might be a temptation to release more after three years. Neither we nor the GAA want to see a move away from the terrestrial, free element to a pay-per-view situation.

Could the witnesses repeat the RTE Digital information?

I missed the answer; perhaps it was not clear enough or I did not pick it up properly. Were the RTE Digital channels considered with a view to seeing whether the games could be made available as a live stream on the Internet? For argument's sake, taking out the 14 games Sky has, the most desirable games are the all-Ireland semi-finals in hurling and football and the all-Ireland finals. I wish to ask about the relationship with TV3 and where it now fits in. It has a role in the marketplace. How will this be filled?

To recap, with regard to the expectations of people abroad will more pressure be brought to bear to release more games, particularly at the higher level? Were the RTE Digital channels considered? How does TV3 fit into the situation? What the GAA is trying to do in terms of taking its games to people outside of the country who otherwise cannot see them is something I support.