Ms Mary Curtis:

Not at all. There is an issue around the collection of the licence fee. That has been a perennial issue. When we look at the household charge and compare it with the licence fee, one is very hard to monitor and the other is not. I do not think there is any diminished value or perception of it but the gathering of the licence fee has been an issue for many years. It was an issue when I was in RTÉ 20 years ago and it continues to be so. The value that comes from public service broadcasting is so important.

We can see by the figures and viewership that the Irish public, whether they favour it or not, still consume it, and that means there is a value to it.

The other challenges in this regard will concern the digital platforms, in respect of the next generation and how they consume their media-----