Ahern to meet footie officials over Sky deal

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern is meeting the Football Association of Ireland today for talks about its decision to sell the rights to home international matches to Sky TV in a multi-million pound four year deal.

The FAI move created a storm of protest when it was announced almost a week ago, and among those to stress their disappointment have been soccer fan Mr Ahern and Sports Minister John O’Donoghue.

Yesterday, a potential way out of what has turned out to be a major embarrassment for the football authorities emerged when a senior EU official indicated that a Brussels directive could keep the matches on terrestrial tv if the Government drew up a list of protected events - including home internationals.

Speaking from Brussels, Christopher Forax said the Government could insist that the fixtures involved were broadcast live and for free on terrestrial television - despite the FAI deal with Sky.

On Wednesday, Mr Ahern instructed Attorney General Rory Brady to investigate Irish and European laws affecting the reservation of top sports engagements for domestic TV stations.

Last night it was confirmed that Mr Ahern had invited the FAI to a meeting at his office in Dublin.

Junior minister Willie O’Dea said Mr Ahern would be relaying to officials the Government view of the law.

‘‘From the moment this deal became public, the Taoiseach, who has more affinity with the soccer fans of this country than any politician I know, has adopted a hands-on approach to this,’’ Mr O’Dea said.

‘‘He has assigned to the new Attorney General as his first major task researching and examining the law on this matter to see what the Government’s options were, to seek redress for the fans, who are the people discommoded by this.

‘‘As a result of the work done by the Attorney General, he has now come to a certain view on what the law is.’’

Mr O’Dea said he did not know what legal conclusions had been reached on the TV soccer issue.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Dail’s European Affairs Committee, Gay Mitchell, said he was requesting clarification from the European Commission on the issue.

And in another move, the Labour Party called on Communications Minister Dermot Ahern to designate the home internationals as events which should be free to air under Ireland’s 1999 Broadcasting Act.

Euro MP John Cushnahan last night said the European Commissioner for Education and Culture, Viviane Redding, had assured him the Government could draw up a list of ‘‘protected’’ sporting events that had to be shown on a free service.