Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

We are in a slightly impossible position because there is a natural instinct as part of our scrutiny process to ask questions. We are told in response that we would be selling out to the French if the Minister were to answer. It is tricky. I will try again. This issue of commercial rights is important. Given that we already have risk on the downside of €338 million or possibly more, as the Minister has recognised, although he will not declare what the final exposure we might have could be, why would we take on further risk to buy commercial rights that we do not necessarily have expertise in? Why would we buy, for example, the television rights with a view to selling them on to television companies? What gain would we have on that other than taking all the risk again? We might make a few bob. In those circumstances, we might need to do it to ensure there is a free-to-air aspect to the television broadcasting in Ireland for fear that someone else selling the rights might mean we would not have that control over it. Why would the State take further risk? Are there specific things the State wants to have control over in terms of hospitality, sponsorship or commercial television rights? I would be surprised if there are.

I do not see how this breaches the confidentiality of our bid versus the French or the South Africans. Does the GAA get anything from this process and from the revenue, commercial or otherwise, coming in? Does the IRFU get any revenue? Is it doing this pro bonoon an altruistic basis for the good of the State? If it is, that is fine. I do not need to know the figure, but is the GAA getting anything out of it, for example? I do not think that impinges on our bid against the French or the South Africans, but it would be good for GAA supporters to know what the GAA is doing.

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