Director General Páraic Duffy says the GAA's Sky TV deal is for Irish people abroad first and foremost.

Speaking this morning in front of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport and Communications, the Monaghan man described making Gaelic Games available to those living abroad as a "necessary priority recognised by all at Croke Park."

Duffy and GAA president Liam O'Neill had been invited to discuss the GAA's controversial deal with the subscription broadcaster, which was announced two weeks ago and grants Sky exclusive rights to 14 matches each year in the senior football and hurling championships.

"This issue of accessibility to our games on live TV has been, over recent years, by far the single biggest issue raised with us when we spoke with our members outside Ireland," Duffy is quoted by RTE.

"In planning our negotiations of these new contracts, the GAA felt that it had an obligation to Irish people living abroad to respond to their appeals on this issue, if for no other reason than the fact that many of them, while living at home, had contributed to the GAA as members, and were now continuing that work in GAA clubs abroad.

"Due to the unfortunate return of Irish emigration, and due also to the presence abroad of Irish people from previous phases of emigration, it is no longer tenable for the GAA to see the Irish audience for gaelic games as simply being Irish people living in Ireland.

"There are now so many Irish people living abroad, so many Irish people who are GAA supporters and who want to see our games live on TV, that we simply must take them into consideration in negotiating broadcast contracts.

"There has been a cynical reaction by some to the announcement of the new contracts. But cynicism has always been the easy refuge of those who are afraid to engage in analysis and reasonable debate. The cynical claim would have it that 'the GAA went to Sky for the money'.

"Not only is this not true, but it also conveniently avoids noticing the recent announcement of a major investment by the GAA in redeveloping London's Ruislip grounds, a project also made possible by financial support from the Department of Foreign Affairs." Tweet

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