Sports fans to have say on department website

SOCCER fans outraged over plans to keep Irish international games off free-to-air television have got a chance to make their feelings known to the Government.

Communications Minister Dermot Ahern has invited fans to use his department’s website, www.dcmnr.gov.ie, to express their views on the televising of sport in the country. The Government has already drawn up a list of important sports events which it wants to keep on terrestrial TV.

These include the All-Ireland finals and semi-finals, Irish soccer internationals, Ireland’s games in rugby’s Six Nations championship, the World Cup and key horse racing fixtures.

Mr Ahern said the views of the public would be taken on board as part of the process of designating what events should be kept on free-to-air TV.

“The public forum will provide a further opportunity for people to air their views and they can continue to write to my department. However, as the department also has responsibility for major policy issues in relation to communications and technology, I hope that the online forum will provide an opportunity to debate online the key issues and allow the public to get their views across,” said the minister.

The TV row erupted last month when the Football Association of Ireland signed up with Sky TV for exclusive coverage of their home international fixtures for the next four years. The 7.5m deal would effectively block coverage of the matches on RTE or TV3.

The move would force fans who are not Sky subscribers to watch the fixtures affected in pubs rather than see them at home for free. The satellite broadcaster has since offered to screen Ireland’s first away international on its Sky One service. However, this service is only available to those who subscribe to satellite or cable TV.

As well as the internet forum, Mr Ahern also intends to host a public forum on the TV sports controversy later this year. Once this consultation process with sports bodies and fans is completed, the Government will officially ask the European Commission for permission to keep its list of sports events on free-to-air TV.

A spokesman for the minister said they were optimistic that this process could be finalised before Ireland’s first away match was screened by Sky in October.

However, it seems certain that the decision will end up in the courts because the FAI say their deal with Sky still stands. The list has also sparked fury among other sports bodies who say they are being deprived of making important revenue from television due to the Government’s actions.

Mr Ahern said a lot of correspondence had already been received about its list of events.

The final list may also include important cultural events which attract a large television audience.

However, no such events have yet been added to the Government’s list.