The Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Síle de Valera, has dismissed opposition claims that she must share the blame for the fact that Ireland’s Six Nations game against England on Saturday is not being shown on RTÉ.
Current legislation allows the minister to draw up a list of the country's major cultural and sporting events which could be made available free to viewers here. Labour's Michael D Higgins says the situation next Saturday has arisen because the Minister has failed to draw up such a list. Fianna Fáil Senator Jim Glennon, a former Irish rugby international and former Leinster coach, has also criticised the Minister for not nominating the match as a cultural event.
Minister de Valera said drawing up a list of designed major sporting and cultural events had been delayed because of a wide range of different views on what events should be on it. She said there is considerable difficulty because three of the country's biggest sporting organisations, the GAA, the IRFU and the FAI, are against such a list on the grounds that it would undermine their earning and revenue potential in the future.
Filed by Tom Grealis
