Seán Connick (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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Question 635: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will designate all competitive sporting events staged here and all competitive sporting events involving Irish international teams as free to air sporting events. [25323/07]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Television Without Frontiers Directive provides that Member States of the European Union may take measures to ensure wide access by the public to television coverage of national or non-national events of major importance for society. The events designated are available to qualifying broadcasters to provide coverage on free television services. The events are designated under The Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) Act, 1999 (Designation of Major Events) Order 2003. These include a number of significant sporting events. When carrying out a review of events to be designated, consideration is specifically given to the extent to which the event has a special general resonance for the people of Ireland and the extent to which the event has a generally recognised distinct cultural importance for the people of Ireland. The legislation specifies that a review should be carried out every three years. The next review will take place in 2009.