Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

Does the Minister believe it is appropriate for a Minister in his position to announce to the country that he will legislate to ensure that all Six-Nations rugby and Heineken Cup rugby is free-to-air in the future by placing it on the A list a few days before two Heineken Cup semi-finals without any consultation with the IRFU and taking everybody by surprise? He seems to be trying to grab political headlines rather than deal in a responsible way with an issue that is about balancing viewership with funding for one of the biggest sports in the country.

Is the Minister's position the Government's position as part of this consultation process or is he seriously suggesting that as part of the consultation process different Ministers will need to write to him giving their view on the issue so that he can come back to the Cabinet to seek approval from that consultation process? Is that the process in which he wants us to have faith?

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