Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I apologise for my phone ringing while the Senator was speaking. It happens to everybody from time to time. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, who cannot be here today. The importance of the GAA championships to sports fans is unquestionable. Broadcasting and commercial rights, however, are a matter for the GAA and its broadcast partner.The GAA is free to enter into any commercial agreements, with the revenue generated supporting the continued development of the games from grassroots to elite level. There is always a challenge for sporting bodies in striking a balance between generating revenue and ensuring that as wide an audience as possible has access to the games. Obviously all sports fans would like to see more games broadcast and especially those involving their own counties. Over the course of the current championship 31 matches will be broadcast for GAA sports fans. This is the same number of matches that was available to viewers in the 2022 championship season, and GAAGO is providing games that were not previously available on free-to-air television. Games in previous championships were only broadcast by Sky or in some instances not available to view at all.

It is important to factor in the changes that have been made to the championship structure. More rounds and more matches are now being played over a shorter and more compacted season. The frequency of the matches being played means that there will always be occasions when high-profile games will clash. To lift the paywall as the Senator suggested would mean designating the entire championship to ensure that every game would be available free to air. The designation of major sporting and cultural events is a statutory process provided for under the Broadcasting Act with the criteria for deciding on events coming from an EU directive. Currently, the all-Ireland intercounty senior football, hurling, ladies football and camogie finals are the only Gaelic games with official designated free-to-air status. The current designation process is under way with the initial public consultation identifying events for further public consultation. The Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, has paused the process to allow for sporting events and organisations to recover from the effects of Covid-19 health restrictions.

I understand that as a full uninterrupted sporting year has now passed, the Minister will recommence the process in the year future. The Minister will invite the public, sports bodies and stakeholders to participate and give their views on the events being considered. In addition to the consultation, a detailed independent evaluation will take place which will take into account how events meet the prescribed EU criteria and the balancing of any potential economic impacts against the benefits to the public of designating the events. On successful completion of the second stage of the process, Department officials must then engage with the European Commission, which will consider the proposed events against the criteria. The statutory process is not meant to designate an entire competition or all of one sport's matches but to protect as free-to-air events major national events of significant cultural importance to the nation.