Written answers

Thursday, 11 November 2021

Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht

Sporting Rights

Photo of Louise O'ReillyLouise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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169. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will engage with Raidió Teilifís Éireann and TG4 to ensure there are more men’s League of Ireland and Women's National League football games broadcast on free-to-air television. [54232/21]

Photo of Catherine MartinCatherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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Negotiations for broadcasting rights for sporting events is in the first instance, a matter for the sporting bodies and the broadcasters concerned.

However, under the Audio-Visual Media Services Directive 2013/13/EU, Member States are allowed to designate certain sporting and cultural events as being of major importance to society and to provide that events so designated should continue to be available on a free to air television service. The aim of the provisions is to balance the rights of the sporting bodies to exploit the commercial opportunities afforded by broadcasting rights and the needs of society to engage collectively with culturally significant events which have a positive impact on society as a whole. 

Section 162 of the Broadcasting Act 2009 sets out the provisions relating to the designation of major events in Ireland.  Under the provisions of the Act the list is reviewed no later than three years after the preceding review. The purpose of the review is to consider the appropriateness of the current list of designated events and to examine the potential to add any additional events of major importance to society.

I gave approval on 7th December 2020 for the commencement of the current review with a public consultation process.   The consultation was launched on Thursday 10th December 2020 with a closing date for receipt of observations of Thursday 14th January 2021, providing a five week consultation period.   Advertisements were placed in both national and local newspapers and a radio advertisement campaign was undertaken across all local radio.  

In addition to the online survey, my officials made direct contact with key stakeholders, broadcasters and sporting organisations and invited them to submit responses either through the survey, by return email or in hard copy. Over 1700 responses were received. I am currently considering a report on the findings.

Should new events be selected for consideration for a free to air designation, a second public consultation will be undertaken which will seek observations from the sporting bodies, the broadcasters, wider stakeholders and the public on the specific events identified for possible designation.  

In tandem with the second consultation process a procurement process will be undertaken for the production of an independent report.  This will evaluate the socio-cultural, economic and financial impacts of any additional designation and will feed into a final decision on whether any additional events of major importance to society should be designated for free to air coverage in the public interest.

As the current process is underway and remains under  consideration, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on particular events at this time.

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