Ahern to draw up list for free-to-air TV

THE Government will next week map out its plans to ensure sports fans will not face a repeat of the controversial FAI deal with Sky Television.

Communications Minister Dermot Ahern has not fixed a time frame for the implementation of legislation to draw up a list of free-to-air television programmes, but has appointed a team within his department to speed up the process.

A special adviser said the minister, who described the FAI-Sky agreement as a devastating blow, has pledged to designate free-to-air sports events as quickly as possible.

The FAI said yesterday Sky was agreeable to a proposal to show international home games on large screens in community centres and soccer clubs. The GAA, however, yesterday reiterated its pledge not to take big matches away from public television screens.

Meanwhile, MEP John Cushnahan yesterday urged the Government to postpone plans for a national stadium until the FAI and other major sporting organisations agreed on a deal with terrestrial television.

"It would be an infuriating scenario for the Irish soccer public if they were forced to pay twice to watch the European Championships in 2008, which Ireland and Scotland are jointly hoping to host," Mr Cushnahan said.

"The Irish public would have to pay for the construction of the stadium and again to view the Irish home matches on Sky TV,'' he said.

The Munster MEP demanded that the Government tell sporting organisations which showed callous disregard for their fans, that a condition of use of the national stadium would be a commitment to allow the public reasonable access to televised sporting events.

Minister Ahern's office yesterday emphasised that the Government had to comply with a statutory process of consultation with sporting organisations and draw up a draft list of television programmes before new legislation could be introduced.

The Broadcasting (Major Events Television Coverage) Act was passed in November, 1999, which fulfilled the country's obligation to an EU directive.

A spokesman for the minister said that under this directive, Television Without Frontiers, the statutory process which also requires EU approval had to be completed before proposed free-to-air television programmes could be listed.

Meanwhile, RTÉ said yesterday that it was not anticipating any immediate decision on its joint bid with the BBC to show Ireland's away soccer internationals.