GAA and FAI say their streaming services must not feel impact of proposed 'Netflix levy'

The minister for culture, communications and sport Patrick O’Donovan has been critical of the idea, saying earlier this year that the public paying the licence fee and subscription services are 'quite frankly paying enough'. File photo: Andrew Downes

The GAA and the FAI have said that their streaming services, such as GAAGo and LOI TV, must not feel the brunt of the proposed “Netflix levy”, and it should be treated differently to the likes of Disney+ and Amazon Prime in any such proposals.

The Oireachtas Media Committee was urged to consider the impact of such a levy on smaller, Irish-based services in its proposals and the impact for those showing matches that sports watchers would otherwise be unable to see.

In a letter to the committee, League of Ireland director Mark Scanlon said: “Any potential levies on what is a service operated with minimum resources and largely ran by volunteers as well as independent Irish contractors could impact the future of the service.” 

Under the proposals, a content levy on streaming services would be levied with the proceeds used to fund independent productions in Ireland.

However, media minister Patrick O’Donovan has been critical of the idea, saying earlier this year that the public paying the licence fee and subscription services are “quite frankly paying enough”.

This week, the cross-party Oireachtas committee published its report on recommendations to the general scheme for the proposed Broadcasting (Amendment) Bill, which recommended such a levy be included.

Furthermore, it said that where the minister declines to accept recommendations from media watchdog Coimisiún na Meán on the levy, he or she should be required to lay a report before the Dáil as to why.

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In drafting of the report, the committee received multiple submissions on the wide-ranging laws.

In its submission, the GAA said any levy would "assumedly also be mindful of any negative knock-on cost implications to the Irish consumer" and a "one-size-fits-all" approach should be avoided.

“A consequential price uplift would be felt by many who subscribe to online content throughout the country, including GAA members and fans," it said.

The committee concluded that any levy imposed on streaming should be done so in a tiered manner based on metrics such as subscriber or income levels, number of staff or contractors based in Ireland, and public service impact.