Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

My concern is the continuous erosion of our public service broadcasting entity. It is recognised that RTE had to trim its sails in recent years and it did so. This needed to be done. The director general, Noel Curran, and the chairman, Tom Savage, have done a very good job over the past couple of years in difficult circumstances. However, I am deeply concerned that the €5 million has the potential to be the straw that breaks the camel's back at a time of increased competition. Another broadcaster is about to establish a base here and will compete directly with RTE. What will be the ultimate cost to RTE if it is forced to trim €5 million? Will it be unable to create the kind of programmes that retains the station as a relevant option for viewers? A battle has commenced with the multinationals and the large-scale broadcasters which has the potential to be detrimental to what we understand as public broadcasting. The Minister will agree that the media right across the globe has largely fallen into the hands of people with more money than sense, on occasion. I would hate to see that type of effect impacting on what I believe to be a good public service broadcasting organisation, notwithstanding all the frequent arguments both I and the Minister have with it on issues. This Government and this cut in particular seeks to strike a blow at the heart of public service broadcasting which both the Minister and I hold dear.