Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Farrell, Mr. Esslemont and Ms Ní Chaoindealbháin for coming in. My first question probably concerns TG4 and Virgin Media and is on the issue of prominence. It relates to TG4 as a stand-alone television channel and Virgin Media as an organisation which has a whole television package. My interest lies in ensuring that the broadcasters to which we give significant public funding are available to viewers across Ireland and that it does not take an age to get to TG4 on the schedules. Indeed, any television station licensed by the BAI should be available to Irish viewers on televisions, whether those are Apple, Samsung or other devices. I would like Mr. Farrell and Mr. Esslemont to address that issue of prominence and what needs to be done in that regard. Do we need legislation?

My other question concerns linear programming. I asked the representatives from RTÉ for how long we might be scheduling linear television broadcasting. Mr. Farrell mentioned the staples of Virgin Media, such as Ireland AM. How will those programmes sit with players in the absence of a future schedule?

My last question is on the dual funding model which RTÉ enjoys. Is it more valuable for the commercial broadcaster to have access to the sound and vision scheme for public service broadcasting, rather than removing the dual funding model, given what Mr. Farrell has said about the growth of advertising revenue for Google and Facebook? Removing the dual funding model which RTÉ enjoys might not be of any great benefit to TG4 or Virgin Media if the advertising goes to Google or Facebook instead.