RTÉ has a “virtual monopoly” over sports in Ireland due to streaming service GAAGO, according to a former GAA president. 

GAA President Jarlath Burns has been invited before the Seanad to discuss the on-going row over the streaming service. 

The invite comes as for the second consecutive weekend, no hurling championship games will be broadcast free to air and is only available behind the streaming service's paywall.

Former GAA President and Fine Gael MEP candidate Seán Kelly said streaming Irish sports has become much more difficult since the end of the GAA’s partnership with Sky to work exclusively with RTÉ.

“That's handed over a virtual monopoly to RTÉ,” he told Newstalk Breakfast. 

He said many GAA fans now can’t watch finals that had been “free to air all along” in the past. 

“GAAGO was a great idea, particularly for the diaspora,” he said. “I used it myself when I was abroad, it was wonderful. 

“But now it's the only vehicle by which these games can be viewed.” 

GAAGO 'a good deal at the time'

Mr Kelly said GAAGO “seemed like a good deal at the time” for both RTÉ and the GAA. 

“Now we find that outlets like Virgin Media and TG4 can’t do the games,” he said. “I think competition is important and I would like to see them being included.” 

Mr Kelly said Mr Burns is “doing his best to accommodate [GAA] at this point in time”. 

“They may need to be able to sit down with RTÉ and say this isn’t working out the way we expected,” he said. 

“A lot more fans are very upset, a lot of good people who were involved in the GAA all their life don’t have access to internet. 

“The same is happening by moving to no-cash games - that upset people as well.” 

When asked about removing the paywall on GAAGO, Mr Kelly said the GAA should reconsider its streaming options, but the most important thing is good competition on television.