Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome Ms Forbes. I welcome the fact that she has acknowledged the €9 million coming from Government and that RTÉ will receive it very much in the spirit in which it was given by the Taoiseach, in that RTÉ will defer any decision on Lyric FM until the broadcasting commission reports.

I wrote to Ms Forbes in November, specifically about Lyric FM and where it is based. I perceive Lyric FM and RTÉ news broadcasting to be twin pillars in Limerick city. They are in the heart of the city and are hugely important to us. Apart from the staff and what they bring, having a national broadcaster like Lyric FM based in Limerick city, which is a cultural city, is hugely important. I have been in and have broadcast from the state-of-the-art studio many times. It is probably the next best technical studio outside of headquarters in Donnybrook. RTÉ broadcasts regionally in one section of the building and Lyric FM in the other. Lyric FM itself does not require that level of space in the building at the moment and there are also archives stored there that are not required. I made contact with the owner of the building and I asked the direct question as to whether RTÉ had engaged in discussion with him about downsizing that particular floor, because it would cost a huge amount to dismantle. He stated it was not discussed. As he extended the lease to December 2020, I ask that RTÉ now engage with the owner of the building to look at the floor area, to retain the RTÉ regional broadcasting studios as they are and to downsize the floor area for Lyric.

Ms Forbes is probably very familiar with the studio, which is in the heart of Limerick city and what it brings to the city for the people of Limerick is enormous. I could go on about the costs, the budget there is relatively low, but I would like Ms Forbes to give an assurance that she will explore the opportunities with the owner of the building to ascertain what lease possibilities are available. I ask Ms Forbes to do that unconditionally. I passionately believe in what RTÉ does. It is hugely important in terms of the quality of programming across the spectrum, including with TG4 and every area. Equally, Limerick has a twin aspect in that there is a regional broadcaster and Lyric FM in the same building. It was a model of decentralisation at the time, signed off by President Michael D. Higgins in his capacity as Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht. Will Ms Forbes give that commitment now to explore with the owner of the building what lease possibilities are available? It is acknowledged that the organisation probably does not need the floor area that is there at the moment. There are opportunities and would it not be fantastic, were Ms Forbes to find savings to retain the twin studios of the regional broadcaster and Lyric FM in the heart of Limerick city? I wrote to Ms Forbes on 15 November. I followed that up with an email but this is a specific request. I have made the inquiry, and the owner tells me that discussions on downsizing did not take place.