Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

That is fair enough. It is a difficult one but the challenge for us as a society is that if each individual broadcaster goes down the same route regarding each cycle lane and road, the coverage will suggest there is some balance between the two activities when the reality is that one is high emitting and the other is low emitting. Overall, the coverage within broadcasting will not reflect the reality of what needs to be done. I appreciate the difficulties. Some of the funding that has been given and some of the programming happening are excellent.

My final point is on types of programmes. Mr. McLoughlin has mentioned news and current affairs numerous times, which is great, and members listen to news and current affairs. I note that the figures show that 92% of people tune in to radio at some point during their week. Ratings for radio are, therefore, still very high but it is very much spread across a different kind of programming. What are the codes, practice and policies for all of the different types of broadcasting? Where we really need to see the message is getting through is on the flagship shows for each of the broadcasters, not just on a sideshow, and also during news programmes on, say, fundamentally music-based stations. I hear this on some stations but I am just trying to understand the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland's role in that, so it is not just based on news and current affairs.