Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There is no need to be provoking or rubbing salt in the wounds of Dublin Deputies, but I congratulate Galway on their win at the weekend. The Deputy raises a very important issue. The last time I raised it there was a lot of tut-tutting from top brass in the GAA and they were very disappointed with my comments, but I would say this to them, respectfully. Far more people are disappointed with how this season has been shown in terms of GAAGO. They should not listen to me if they do not want to - that is grand - but they should please listen to the grassroots of the GAA. The GAA is an amazing organisation and its beauty has been that it is a grassroots organisation. I have said many times that the GAA needs to listen to the grassroots.

I was at the Cork-Limerick match in Páirc Uí Chaoimh earlier this summer. Unfortunately, many people across the country did not get a chance to see the game because it was behind a paywall. The same, indeed, was true for the game the Deputy referenced, between Galway and Dublin, last weekend as well. This is a matter for the GAA. When we talk about public service broadcasting and RTÉ, I think there is also a role in that dimension too. There has to be a better way of doing this. I am certainly a big supporter of the GAA, as is the Government, but it should listen to the grassroots. I absolutely look forward to meeting the president of the GAA and the director general, both of whom have reached out to me on this issue.

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