Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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315. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her views on whether it is appropriate for an organisation (details supplied) to have many high-profile games exclusively available on a paid for subscription service; her further views on whether as a non-professional sporting organisation in receipt of significant Government funding, the organisation should provide all its matches on free-to-air television; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21581/23]

Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party)
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While the GAA does receive some Exchequer funding, it is, like all national governing bodies of sport, an independent, autonomous body and is responsible for its own operational and commercial arrangements, including issues relating to sports rights.

Revenue from broadcasting rights is ultimately invested back into the games the GAA promotes, from grassroots to elite level. A challenge for the GAA, and other sports organisations, is how to strike the best balance between revenue generation and making its games available to viewers.

Other than those events formally designated for broadcast as free to air in accordance with the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009, the question of which sporting events are broadcast, and how they are broadcast, is a matter for the sports body concerned and their broadcast partner.

Public service broadcasters, such as RTÉ and TG4, are obliged to be responsive to the interests and concerns of the whole community, and to provide a comprehensive range of programmes that cater for the community generally as well as those with special interests. Public service broadcasters are independent in their editorial and scheduling decision making, and as Minister I have no role in this regard.