Aidan Davitt (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am from Mullingar, as Mr. Mulrennan said, and in the last couple of years I have seen two newspapers close in my own town. One of those was two doors from my own business, with the loss of three jobs at the time. The Athlone Voice, which had a sister newspaper in Mullingar, has also closed within the last couple of years. There have been quite a few casualties in that industry in my own town. I know it was alluded to by Deputy Lowry but if this sale does not take place, would titles close? Would that be something Mr. Mulrennan would have to look at? Would there be job losses?

We have heard quite a bit from Mr. Dooley, who I know well. I respect him and the work he does. My understanding from talking to several staff members on the ground, and I made it my business to talk to quite a few of the staff in the Westmeath Examiner, is that they seem to be relatively happy with the sale. They are fearful for their jobs if it does not go through. How right or wrong that is I do not know but they seem to be fearful if there is not a change or if something does not happen. That is my reading of it from talking to quite a few of the staff. Will Mr. Dooley tell the committee how much that was fleshed out with them? I know he has touched on it but maybe he could elaborate on it.