David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I do not think we would be doing our job if we did not examine any organisation on which €170 million of taxpayers' money is being spent. We ahad a very extensive discussion about recognising the independence of RTÉ. It is the national broadcaster and none of us wants to ask questions about the type of programmes it produces and why. That is entirely a matter for it. There is, however, merit in the committee looking at these issues - there are two separate issues - because there are potential implications for Revenue. The first is that of bogus self-employment. This is where casual work and short-term contracts are being offered to workers when permanent contracts were once in place. That is becoming more of the norm than the exception in RTÉ. The concern is being expressed by staff within the company. It is a separate issue from the other point about whether persons on high salaries are setting up companies. I have made the point that this is a perfectly legal structure, but the point has also been made that persons on a salary of €30,000 or €40,000 a year are not in a position to set up such companies. They are for those on big salaries. Whether they are hospital consultants or presenters in RTÉ on six-figure salaries, the reality is that it is happening and legal, but there is a cost to the Exchequer. We cannot assume that because something happened in one area it happened in another, but we did see in the case of hospital consultants all sorts of expenses being claimed which potentially should not have been claimed and further reduced their tax liabilities. We have a responsibility on behalf of taxpayers to probe this area to ensure there is value for money if we are the ones who are signing off on it.

There are many other related issues. Under no circumstances do I want to interfere with the independence of the national broadcaster, but there are genuine issues to be addressed. Just in case the Comptroller and Auditor General forgets, I ask him to also make note of the specific issue at the University of Limerick.