Chairman:

We cannot force answers. We can only ask for them. We will give an extra two minutes to programme A. I have a question on this myself for the Minister. An issue has arisen around the RTÉ orchestras. Does the Minister's Department have any responsibility, given that the symphony and concert orchestras come under the term "culture"? A review is being carried out in RTÉ and there are concerns that it may seek to in some fashion amalgamate the players in the two orchestras. I understand that the word in the relevant legislation is "orchestras", which would indicate that there is more than one. There is a big concern that this country's cultural output will be damaged if we lose an orchestra or if the orchestras are amalgamated. Ireland can very quickly become a cultural satellite of other anglophone countries if we do not develop our own cultural output and self-expression. This could also lead to difficulties with our own artistic experience and with our own understanding of who we are. Is it the Minister's view that it would be good for the State, culturally speaking, to have two fully functioning orchestras?