Mr. Rory Coveney:

It is useful to step back from the context of this matter. RTÉ is operating with €100 million less total revenue than it had ten years ago. It is trying to maintain as many of its services as it can across the country and in Dublin. If we take our regional footprint, we have taken a range of measures to try to maintain our presence around the country through a series of relationships with the institutes of technology in Galway, Athlone and Waterford. Our regional commitment is strong and we will continue to have a mid-west bureau in Limerick, whatever happens with regard to a decision on Lyric FM.

Ms Forbes mentioned that there is no low-hanging fruit. We have made major cuts to children's programming and drama. Our commissioning expenditure has halved in ten years. The notion that we are targeting Lyric FM is wrong. We have been left with very difficult decisions which affect stakeholders, individuals and audiences. As we have made all of these decisions, we have tried to keep audiences at the forefront of our decision-making and to protect and sustain jobs in a sector that is haemorrhaging jobs by the minute because the whole model of sustaining journalism through advertising is under stress.

I appreciate the sincerity of the Senator's contribution on Lyric FM and we are very sensitive to the 20 or so staff who work in the station, this issue arises in the context of a series of difficult decisions. We are trying to protect and sustain a public service, including Lyric FM, while utilising, as best we can, our regional and studio infrastructure in Cork and Dublin.