Mr. Jerry O'Sullivan:

If it can be said for sport, it can be said for news. Independent and local-radio newsrooms need resources. The key resource is human beings and people who have experience, that is, seasoned journalists able to carry out the work and do the job. They also need the technical resources including the equipment and the ability to go digital to improve the service they provide. Covering local sports events with fixtures, analysis, live commentary and social media takes time, money and effort. IBI members are always trying to develop and improve on what they do year on year. The staff are needed to do so. Mr. Purcell and others have been saying it is a challenging economic model.

Getting the support to continue to invest in newsrooms is key, as well as having sport staff. Much sport on local radio would be done via smaller numbers of full-time journalists but they have a network of part-time journalists and contributors who cover absolutely everything. It is key to the overall product that radio provides in the country and a key identifier for us with our listeners. It is one of the gateways through which we get listeners. They wish to hear sports coverage and events through local voices with local analysis. On Radio Kerry, we do a Monday-night programme called "Terrace Talk". We are one of the few stations to have a devoted mid-week sports show. It is very popular and important but it takes time and money. To underline the importance of it, Seánie O'Shea's point to beat the Dubs was amazing, but it was made ten times more amazing by having Tim Moynihan and Ambrose O'Donovan commentate on it. Being there, having the equipment and experience and being able to analyse and deliver it for the people of Kerry is absolutely vital and a key part of what local radio does.