Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Treaslaím leis an méid a bhí le rá ag an Leas-Chathaoirleach maidir le Comhthionól Parliaminteach na Breataine agus na hÉireann. Cúpla lá thar a bheith fiúntach a bhí i gceist. I agree with our Leas-Chathaoirleach who has acknowledged what was a very positive British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly meeting in the great county of Cavan over the last number of days. People will have been listening in intently, given what was happening in London as we were meeting in Cavan, and given the format in which we were meeting. As I said at our plenary meeting in Cavan, in many ways it is immaterial who occupies 10 Downing Street. This is certainly the case regarding the Good Friday Agreement process in the North. It is clear from the elections in May that people there want the Executive, the Assembly and the Good Friday Agreement institutions to be re-established and to work for the betterment of workers, families and citizens across our society. I hope, therefore, that there will be a renewed focus on precisely this aspect. I refer to adhering to the will of the people as expressed in May and also to ensuring the Good Friday Agreement is implemented fully.

I also acknowledge an important announcement today from the BBC in the North and RTÉ around expanded GAA coverage. I also acknowledge an important announcement today by both the BBC in the North and RTÉ about expanded GAA coverage. This is an issue on which I and my colleagues, Sinéad Ennis, MLA, and our First Minister designate, Michelle O'Neill, have engaged with the BBC for some considerable time. It is clear from the announcement that the BBC and RTÉ have listened not only to us but to the thousands of licence fee-paying Gaels across the Six Counties who, understandably and for obvious reasons, expected a greater level of coverage that reflected the interest and participation in Gaelic games. The announcement states that the BBC, as well as upping its championship and league coverage, will show the all-Ireland semi-finals and finals in both football and hurling. I think I am right in saying the BBC has never broadcast a live hurling game, so it is significant in and of itself that the semi-finals and finals would be broadcast live. The same goes for RTÉ.

The point I wish to make in welcoming this is that we should err just a wee bit on the side of caution. The Deputy Leader will know that for some time in this House I have been raising the very frustrating issue of geo-blocking, whereby satellite providers have blocked certain games if there are competing rights issues. These are platforms like Sky and Virgin for those of us in the North. Equally, however, for people in the South who want to watch matches that will now be broadcast on the BBC, the GAA needs to ensure that its games are freely available and accessible to all audiences, all viewers and all listeners right across the totality of the island, particularly when those games are broadcast by public service broadcasters.

I welcome the announcement, however. It is a positive step forward that will be welcomed and no doubt enjoyed by Gaels across the country and beyond.