David Norris (Independent)

I am very grateful to my colleague, Senator Quinn, for affording me this opportunity, particularly because I disagree with most of what he said, apart from his final statements in which he seemed to be getting onto the right track. I speak from the point of view of somebody who does not watch sport on television. While I would not turn over in bed to watch any of the programmes about which people are worrying here, I regard the issue as one of citizens' rights, particularly because of the malign intervention of Sky Television and Mr. Rupert Murdoch. I warned the House about this five years ago.

It is worth noting Mr. Rupert Murdoch's own sentiments regarding sport. With engaging honesty, he acknowledged his interest in buying up viewing rights to games and said it was the thin end of the wedge. The other end of his wedge is an extremely nasty phenomenon which is evident in America where he is buying television stations and newspapers. He has persuaded the Bush Administration to loosen up regulations in order that he can control not only television media but also print media outlets.

I have just come back from the United States where I noticed that the way in which Fox TV and other Murdoch-owned stations are treating the war in Iraq does not reflect American public opinion. Rather, it reflects the very narrow view of the war of the Administration. That is extremely dangerous. I am very sorry that RTE has caved in to Sky Television in various arenas, thus resulting in a very black day for this country. I support the Minister in everything he does to avoid further intrusion by people like Mr. Murdoch into the media in this country.

I want to address the issue of free market economies raised by Senator Quinn. My heart is in my mouth because he is such a distinguished business person and has practical experience. However, I do not believe there is a free market in the sense Senator Quinn alluded to because there is intervention by monopoly media kings like Rupert Murdoch who simply use their economic muscle to buy into markets.

We are not given something for nothing. The ordinary people pay their television licence fees and, as Senator Quinn acknowledged towards the end of his speech, are taxpayers. I gasped at the arrogance of the IRFU, FAI and GAA, which were invited by the Minister to a meeting and declined to attend. Do they not know who is paying the piper? Consider the grants and lottery funds being allocated. They amount to tens of millions of euro. We paid for Croke Park. What gives sports organisations the right to sell rights to the likes of Rupert Murdoch on behalf of the people? It is completely outrageous. The market is not free and nothing is being given away.