David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is welcome that representatives of RTÉ will attend the committee. To be helpful to RTÉ, the clerk and the Chairman, I will raise three issues on which we will need briefing notes from RTÉ. I have consistently suggested its representatives should come before the committee, with others. The issues to be discussed include the practice of self-employment and short-term contracts for staff which are being used more regularly in the organisation. The structure used to pay very senior broadcasters and how companies are established are other issues. It is similar to the practice that was used to pay consultants in hospitals. We need to get a breakdown in that regard. We are talking about people on big salaries. Why are they using such companies? What is the purpose behind it and why are they only used for the individuals in question, not for other members of staff? That should form part of RTÉ's submission.

A report was published last week on the RTÉ symphony orchestras. It was interesting because it discussed the precarious financial state of RTÉ, despite the fact that it had received €170 million of taxpayers' money directly.