Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

I met the IRFU again about two weeks ago, after the announcement. This is the proper process. The process is that the Minister sets out and then consults. That is what we set out to do in legislation. I met the IRFU previously and will meet it again. I have a particular regard for the sport and for the success the IRFU has had in developing rugby here. It has done a professional job in developing professional rugby here. I am committed to that and want to see the Irish team being successful.

On the issue of rights, Deputy Coveney's position seems to be that he wants to keep the Six Nations team - we will discuss the Heineken Cup separately - on free-to-air. The figures are public on this so I will not breach any commercial sensitivities by mentioning them. Broadcasting the Six Nations free-to-air accounts for at least €10 million of the some €14 million or so revenue the IRFU gets from broadcasting rights. The Deputy is correct in that much of that accrues from the English or other markets where we get back more than we might pay for the rights just for Ireland. Nothing in what I am doing or suggesting would interfere in any way with rights in the UK or other countries or with the rights of Sky or Setanta or any other broadcaster to be able to provide coverage on a pay-to-view basis here. My proposal merely states that we would make it available also on a free-to-air basis because the experience is when it is not free-to-air, we lose at least four fifths of our audience. This is important on a public policy basis.

It is for this reason that we would get consultants to consider all the arrangements and ensure our proposal is sound and will not distort the market. I do not see how, when we have no intention of distorting anything that goes on in the UK or France, we are distorting the market. All we are concerned about is the Irish public and viewers rights without in any way favouring one broadcaster over another, because I do not have any intention of not having it available on a pay-to-view basis, the broadcasters of which do an excellent job.

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