LIAM MULVIHILL, the GAA's director general, has confirmed that a programme of "top games" has been forwarded to RTE for agreement on live broadcast. Whereas the finalising of the agreement shouldn't present a problem, Mulvihill is reluctant to specify the matches being offered until the proposals have been accepted.

The schedule of matches runs throughout the provincial championships, but doesn't include finals. It represents a considerable improvement on last year's programme of televised matches which attracted criticism on the grounds of both the timing of the matches and the quality of fixture offered.

"We asked to meet all the provincial councils," says Mulvihill, and present a package to RTE - RTE had made an original proposal that wasn't on. So we sat down and discussed what times everyone would be happy with and came up with a package of proposals from mid May to the end of June.

"We made these proposals to RTE but got no response until last Friday because Tim O'Connor (head of RTE, television sport) was away. Now it's a matter of getting down to the small print. We're hoping by Congress to have the whole thing ready and to deter mission to negotiate a deal."

Provincial finals in July are open to negotiation, although none have yet been discussed. None of last year's provincial finals in hurling or football were covered live, although the Munster hurling and Leinster football finals were broadcast on delayed transmission, a much criticised feature of last year's coverage.

"Provincial finals will be dealt with at a later stage" says Mulvihill. There's been some talk about the Munster football and hurling finals, but nothing has been approved yet.

Discussions for the championship coverage began with proposals from RTE. According to Mulvihill, these weren't acceptable because the provinces decided, unlike last year, not to rearrange the championship fixture list.

"RTE wanted to start earlier and switch fixtures, but we can't, change. The provincial councils decided not to make any changes to the official list because that has consequences for games at local level."

Thinking on the timing of matches, a major problem last year when match broadcasts started at around tea time, has changed with an acceptance that only afternoon throw ins are realistic.

"RTE didn't propose throw in times," says Mulvihill, "but we've come up with four o'clock in nearly all cases there may be some slight variation on that but that would be the norm. Last year's starting times were unpopular particularly with competing teams.

On the subject of what matches will feature, he declines to be specific, but the likely schedule is easy enough to speculate on.

"I don't want to disclose the matches until the proposal is agreed, but it will be the top game every weekend. It should be better than last year which had some good aspects but was very mixed. We were disappointed with the general public reaction. The coverage didn't draw what we had expected fingers crossed that it will this time.