Mr. Robert Pitt:

I thank the Chairman. I will also address Deputy Stanley's question about the terms and conditions of employees.

In terms of editorial independence, I can say quite categorically that the editorial function within INM stands alone. It is solely responsible for the views, tone and direction of the paper. Obviously, there is structure within that function. We have an editor-in-chief and editors of the national newspapers who reporter to that editor-in-chief.

We also have specialists within each area.

Regarding our regional newspapers, our regional editors stand completely independently with their titles and do not report into the editors of our national newspapers or to our editor-in-chief. The local editors are completely responsible for the content in their newspapers. The only management interaction we have, and Mr. Dooley referred to the fact the editor-in-chief works very closely with me, is to talk about budgets. We talk about the plan for the finances of the operation going forward. We also talk about the marketing support that is necessary to allow those newspapers tell their readers about what will be in the newspaper and why they should buy it. We also plan circulation with them because we have to procure paper, ink and distribution capacity for them. I can say quite categorically that the function stands, very proudly, alone within our business. That is the correct way for it to be.

Regarding plurality or the diversity of content, it is quite clear within Independent News and Media, INM, that there are already very different voices within the newspapers we publish and offer to readers. Among out national titles, the Sunday Worldis a very different newspaper from the Sunday Independentin terms of the reader it speaks to, the content it has and the things that are important to people. Within the newspapers themselves, the Sunday Independentis a very good example of a newspaper that can have very different views, directly opposite each other. We have, for example, columnists who would be regarded as quite left-wing, championing people who might not be the typical reader of the Sunday Independent. Those are very welcomes voices in that newspaper.

Among our regional newspapers, the editor of a paper in Kerry reports on very different matters and with a very different tone from the editor of a paper in Wexford might do because they are completely different parts of the country with different priorities, and different issues are important to them. Unemployment, for example, could be very different in one area from another area. Infrastructure investment is another example. We can quite safely say that there is already huge diversity within INM and that the newspapers have the freedom to protect that and to maintain their individual voices. We guarantee that with the transaction to acquire the newspapers of Celtic Media those newspapers will remain independent. What will happen is that they will achieve the financial security to ensure they can, without fear or favour, write and talk about the things that are important. I made the point in my presentation that a strong media is very important. That strong media, however, has to be commercially viable. That is very important.