Taoiseach Simon Harris believes the GAA needs to revisit the decision to put certain championship games behind a paywall, saying the organisation have "gotten this wrong" on streaming service GAAGO.
Saturday's Munster Senior Hurling Championship game between Cork and All-Ireland champions Limerick is available only on the GAAGO subscription service.
For the second week running, RTÉ are contractually obliged to show the two provincial football finals on Sunday, meaning the only outlet for the biggest hurling matches of the weekend is the GAAGO platform, which is jointly owned by the GAA and RTÉ.
"The GAA is an incredible organisation and tomorrow tens of thousands of youngsters right across Ireland will go out and they'll kick a ball and they'll take a hurl, they'll play camogie, they'll play hurling and they'll play football," said the Taoiseach, speaking in Cork.
"It has always been a grassroots organisation and I think the grassroots are really, really, really angry and really disappointed and really frustrated that matches that the kids want to watch, that the family want to watch, are being put behind a paywall.
"The GAA really need to revisit this, they really need to listen to their grassroots members.
"That's always been their strength, and I think they've gotten this wrong. I think they need to reflect. My colleague, Senator Tim Lombart, has asked that the GAA would come into the Oireachtas, I think that's entirely appropriate, and that they tease through and discuss this issue."
This morning, on Morning Ireland, RTÉ hurling analyst Donal Óg Cusack suggested the Government could do more to support the game of hurling.
The Taoiseach said the Government is supportive of the GAA and sees great value in the association.
"The Government supports the GAA, the Government sees huge value in the GAA, communities right across Ireland do, but they've gotten this wrong.
"There'll be so many people tomorrow who will want to watch that game, and it being behind a paywall isn't what those who support the GAA in every community across Ireland want to see, so they really need to reflect on it."
With Saturday's Munster Senior Hurling Championship game between Cork and Limerick only on GAAGO, Taoiseach Simon Harris believes the GAA needs to revisit the decision to put certain championship games behind a paywall. #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/IaHvuYjHf3
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) May 10, 2024
Tánaiste Micheal Martin echoed the Taoiseach's comments.
"I've huge concerns about it, I don't understand it, in terms of the promotion of the game of hurling," he told RTÉ News.
"Essentially the GAAGO concept is restricting great hurling in terms of the audience and it's by definition limiting the numbers that actually watch it, whether one wants to accept that or not.
"That's why I think RTÉ and The GAA need to go back to the drawing board on this. One cannot look at this through an exclusively commercial prism. In terms of the promotion of a unique game of hurling, which is characteristic of the nation and so on, it's very, very important that we reach as wide an audience as possible."
Mr Martin continued: "For RTÉ it seems to contradict its public service mandate, in terms of big games of hurling, and indeed Gaelic football as well, RTÉ, if you like, being a part of putting it behind a paywall. I think it would be far better for RTÉ to have some of these very high profile great games on RTÉ."
