Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I want to raise the issue of live RTE coverage of the upcoming Special Olympics national finals in Limerick. The games will be held between 12 and 15 June, featuring 1,500 athletes competing in 14 different sporting competitions with over 3,000 volunteers and thousands of family members and supporters. These national finals are a culmination of four years of local and regional competitions which include one in every three of our people with an intellectual disability participating. This will be one, if not the largest, sporting event in the country this year.

I have made numerous representations to officials in RTE as I believe we have an ideal opportunity to showcase the wonderful hard work of these athletes and their volunteers who have been training tirelessly over the past several years for their events. There is not one Member who does not remember the incredible coverage of the 2003 world games which Ireland hosted. I have been informed by RTE this week that live broadcasting is very expensive and it would not be in a position to provide it over the course of the games due to a lack of resources. It has assured me it will report on the games on news bulletins. However, I believe this will not have the same impact as live coverage. I have written to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Rabbitte. I encourage the Leader and colleagues to raise it with him too.