Mr. Jim Jennings:

RTE 2 television is still a very important part of our portfolio of services. For example, it is our main television station for sport. All our sport and children's programmes appear on RTE 2, and on TG4. These are important public service offerings for us in terms of our sport and children's programmes. We have younger entertainment programmes later in the evening. It is a very important station to us in terms of complementing what we do on RTE 1 television. It is crucial to our delivery of children's programmes, young people's programmes and sport.

Senator Terry Leyden mentioned local radio, and it is important. Representatives of local radio were here earlier. The committee might hear, from some of the discussions with TG4, the Irish Film Board, local radio and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, IBI, we are ad idemon many issues regarding our industry and the desire to get some action around funding.

We may argue about how the funding will be divided and who will get what, but it is very important for local and national radio and national media that we have indigenous newsrooms that bring Irish content to listeners and readers. This is a valuable debate. Sometimes we have varying views, but RTE and the Independent Broadcasters of Ireland worked together on the radio player and we work together on the PPI awards. We have also worked together with the Irish Film Board and TG4. We have much in common.