Major sporting events to be made freetoair

The Minister for Communications, Alex White TD, is considering making an order to designate three additional sporting events as ‘live, free-to-air’.

They are the Six Nations Rugby Football Championship, the All-Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Final, and the All-Ireland Senior Camogie Final. Ireland’s games in the Six Nations Rugby Football Championship are currently listed for free-to-air broadcast on a deferred basis.

Minister White will initiate a consultation process, as required by the Broadcasting Act 2009 and relevant EU legislation.

Minister White said: “I think there is a strong case for designating these events, but there is no decision yet. The act requires that I consult with sporting bodies, the broadcasters and the public, and I look forward to doing that. Under the legislation, the primary question I have to ask whether these events have a special resonance and distinct cultural significance or importance for the people of Ireland.”

There are currently no female-only sports included in the list of designated sporting events.

Should an event be designated under this process, the Broadcasting Act, 2009 says that the relevant broadcaster is required to pay a ‘reasonable market rate’ to the rights-holder for the right to broadcast the event. The submissions to the 2014 public consultation on designated sporting events is published on the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources website.