James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Coveney for that. I have one brief follow-up question which is quite fundamental. In the debate that took place in the Dáil Chamber a few weeks ago and on many other occasions, I have expressed a view - I think Deputy Dooley and other members of the committee share it - that in terms of public service broadcasting there is a general consensus that it is a public good. Public service broadcasting should be protected and should be funded. I think where the divergence comes is that it does not have to be RTÉ that delivers it. There is no reason we could not commission a model - perhaps this commission will end up with that finding - where a charge is collected, put into a pot, and indigenous content producers draw down from it. RTÉ has had the lion's share, has had the head-start, for the last 80 years or whatever number of years. It really has to get up to the mark now in terms of staying there. How does it respond to that, because it would be very easy for policymakers to start sharing wealth? RTÉ is on the back foot now in terms of how it justifies retaining that.