Tánaiste Mary Harney defended the Government's decision not to add the Ryder Cup to the list of sports events that must be transmitted free on television.
"The Ryder Cup will not be free-to-air due to several reasons, including advice from the Attorney General and contractual arrangements entered into when the Ryder Cup agreed to come to Ireland," she said.
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said that deputies would recall the Taoiseach's tour of television studios during Christmas. "He even appeared on Setanta Sports in a golf jersey and told us he was trying to organise free-to-air for the Ryder Cup.
"He claimed from the Irish point of view we have to get and maximise the audience. Is he still working on it? Will there be any breakthrough between now and the tournament?"
Emmet Stagg (Labour, Kildare North) accused the Government of caving in on the issue.
Earlier, Labour sport spokesman Jack Wall unsuccessfully sought an emergency debate on the issue, claiming the Government's decision was denying "millions of Irish households the opportunity to watch the most significant international sporting event to be held here".
Regulations were being urgently drafted to deal with any possible outbreak of the avian flu, Mary Harney said.
She was replying to Fine Gael agriculture spokesman Denis Naughten, who sought clarification of the enactment of section 54 of the Health Act 1947, which was amended by the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill.
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