Mr. Alan Esslemont:

Regarding the budget, diversity and plurality are needed to have public service broadcasting. As I mentioned and Mr. Farrell also recognised, the structures in place are monolithic, and monolithic structures bring monolithic behaviours. Mr. Farrell referred to some of those aspects. The strongest marker of diversity Ireland has brought to the world is its language and the transmission of that language from generation to generation for thousands of years. It is clear to me that that intergenerational transmission is in danger and that children brought up in Irish-speaking homes learn very quickly that their language matters less. Unless we have TG4 and status for the language at the same level as is given to the Welsh language, we will see that intergenerational transmission imperilled. The biggest danger in the next ten years will be that Ireland will lose its diversity in this area through intergenerational transmission. There are many aspects to be looked at in respect of funding, but the licence fee definitely needs reform. We do not receive the licence fee, as we are already State funded. There are already levies in this market and they are being applied throughout Europe on the top suppliers. A cocktail of funding could be looked at. The funding model needs to be looked at as well as the ecosystem and the existing structures.