Mr. Tom McGuire:

I will take the opportunity to pick up one or two things in response to Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice. Deputy Michael Moynihan mentioned the panels earlier. In radio, we seek to have at least "one plus two", that is, one Government and two Opposition representatives on panels. It tends to vary a little depending on whether something is counted as opposition or depending on the issue which is being dealt with as that can change the hue of it . We would like to see this as a minimum.

In terms of the regions and the radio, we did 250 outside broadcasts from Radio 1 last year. I was at a recording in Moate last Sunday. The crew had just left Killaloe on Saturday. Some of that is not seen but it is there and it is definitely there to be heard.

All programmes, whether strict current affairs programmes or programmes of a lighter hue, have the same responsibility in terms of broadcasting and journalism guidelines. All of the presenters and programme teams would be taken through those guidelines. I welcome the telephone calls and I know programme teams welcome the contact. It is not always going to be acceded to. It is robust, as Mr. Bakhurst said in his introductory remarks, but they are there.

I could not leave this without saying I really enjoyed the Deputy's Garth Brooks rendition on Brian Dowling's programme before Christmas.