Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a final couple of points to make. Suggestions were made by a politician in another committee here that RTÉ was perhaps using the orchestras to make a broader financial case. Personally I do not think that is borne out by the facts when one considers what the witnesses have outlined in their opening address. They mentioned a 24% cut to RTÉ and only an 11% cut to the orchestras, which shows that they have been relatively well insulated. I just wanted to give the witnesses an opportunity to respond to that point, which was put on the record in another committee in these Houses. If RTÉ had its choice, and if approximately €4 million was the figure that a State Department or the Arts Council was to put in to make up the shortfall, would RTÉ prefer to just get that €4 million rather than seeing a new entity created? If that had been the case, could it guarantee that the €4 million would be spent on the orchestras as opposed to getting consumed? I am sure that if RTÉ got an extra €4 million, many hands would be out from different areas within the organisation.