The Government's proposal to keep some of the country's biggest sporting events on terrestrial television is set to meet with opposition and demands for compensation from sporting organisations.
Under the proposal, revealed yesterday, all of the Republic's home and away qualifying matches in the upcoming European Championships and for the 2006 World Cup will have to be carried live on RTÉ, TV3 or TG4.
However, the Football Association of Ireland warned that its four-year €7.5 million deal with Sky Television for the Republic's home European Championship matches still stood. "It has not been changed by the events of the day," said the association's spokesman, Mr Declan Conroy.
The Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, Mr Ahern, insisted the Sky deal was "caught" by the list, even though there is little, if any chance that it can come into legal effect before the first home game takes place in October.
Speaking following a meeting with the sporting representatives, the Minister declared: "I believe it is vital that sporting events of major national importance that are an intrinsic part of Irish life should remain free-to-air on terrestrial television."
The GAA, which last week said it would not sell its television rights to satellite broadcasters, warned that it would nevertheless have to be compensated if the Minister lists the GAA Senior Hurling and Football finals. The proposed list came despite repeated protestations from the Government over the last week that it could not produce one until it had completed a lengthy consultation process.
However, the Attorney General, Mr Rory Brady, advised his Cabinet colleagues yesterday that it could identify targeted events in advance, a Government source said last night.
Following this advice, the sporting leaders, Mr Liam Mulvihill from the GAA, the FAI's Mr Brendan Menton and the Irish Rugby Football Union's chief executive, Mr Philip Browne, were "told as a matter of courtesy".
Under the Government's current timetable, Mr Ahern expects to have a final list ready to send to Brussels for the approval of the European Commission by the middle of September.
The Republic's first away qualifying game in the European Championships takes place in Moscow on September 7th.
