MINISTER FOR Communications Eamon Ryan is to have an informal meeting with Fianna Fáil backbenchers this week to discuss his proposal to move Heineken Cup and Six Nations rugby matches to free-to-air television.
The meeting is expected to take place tomorrow or Wednesday at Leinster House.
Speaking on the Dunphy Showon Newstalk Radio yesterday, the Minister said: "We are only at the start of a consultation process here. "I will be taking in an independent expert to review all the submissions, to look at the economic case, to listen to the arguments the IRFU (Irish Rugby Football Union) and others are making."
Pádraig Power, commercial and marketing director of the IRFU, said: “We have met the Minister a couple of times, which is great. We’re looking forward to meeting the Minister again and we really want to work with the Minister. At the end of the day our objectives are the same.”
Mr Power added: “If this proposal goes through without considering the unintended consequences, it will be hugely damaging for our sport and that’s why we have come out over the last little while, but we look forward to working with the Minister, we respect his position.”
Minister for Sport Mary Hanafin said in Cashel, Co Tipperary, at the weekend that she was not going to take sides in the controversy but felt that the IRFU had “personalised” the issue too much.
“I’ve sent that word to the IRFU. If you are going to make a case, you try and win it on the validity of your arguments, not on personalising it. I’m not going to come down on one side or the other but will be actively engaging and am actively engaging and I’ve had a few informal discussions with the Minister – we will have a formal meeting on it as well,” said Ms Hanafin, who was attending a Tipperary North/Tipperary South Fianna Fáil conference on Saturday.
Pointing out that there were international contract arrangements in place, she said: “It’s not like looking at the GAA for example where it only affects us. You have to be aware of what obligations you might have elsewhere.”