Mr. Tim Collins:

The point we should like to emphasis, and which Mr. Purcell has referred to, is that we do not see this as being an either-or situation. We believe that RTE needs to be properly funded. We believe there is a major opportunity in the forthcoming legislation, which has been promised in the programme for Government, to introduce a household broadcasting charge, which we support, because of the evolution of the way people are viewing content. They are viewing it less on televisions and more on laptops and hand-held devices and so on. In the context of introducing the new charge, it is estimated that there will be an uplift in collection of about €30 million from lower collection costs and from less evasion. Rather than simply allowing that to disappear into the maw in RTE, there is an opportunity to use that to create a separate fund to support public service broadcasting and independent stations. What we would like the committee to do is to use its good offices to try to persuade the Government to move the legislation forward. We have had a positive interaction with the Minister who recognises there is probably no legal impediment to setting up such a fund. I think we are at the stage where he recognises there is an issue of fairness that could well be addressed in the context of setting up a fund such as that. We are making progress. If can move that on and get the legislation on the table that would be helpful.