TÁNAISTE MICHEÁL MARTIN has said he is concerned about the “growing, creeping paywalling” of access to viewing sports events but said that a reduction in the licence fee is not a measure being considered by the government.
He was asked about a tweet from Fine Gael TD a former Mayo footballer Alan Dillon who said that a €50 reduction in the TV licence fee would be appropriate now that some GAA championship games are behind a paywall. “They’re paying the license fee and I think there would be an expectation from the general public in terms of access to championship hurling and Gaelic football as well, and I think that needs to be reviewed in my opinion.
“But I’m not comfortable with what’s transpired and I think for a game like hurling, for example, a huge audience was denied access to very significant games over the last two weekends. One concern expressed by the Tánaiste, and echoed by Minister for Transport Jack Chambers who was also at the launch, was that making games available only through an app service makes sporting events inaccessible for some groups, particularly young children and the elderly.
“I share the Tánaiste’s view,” said Chambers. “I think it should be reviewed and as the Tánaiste said, a lot of senior citizens have no ability or capacity to watch the games, to access GAAGO, and that’s crystallised in the public debate we’re having.”