Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thought I was going to be the final speaker but I am happy to get an opportunity. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on how she has hosted the meeting and how the clerks to the committee have organised all of this at short notice. It would have been helpful to have Renault and Ryan Tubridy here. That would have helped to paint a more full picture.

I have a few questions that I will be nice and quick with. I do not have many statements to make; I more have questions to ask and I hope the witnesses can answer them. Where is Ryan Tubridy? He is not here. Many of the witnesses' former RTÉ colleagues have gone into media consultancy. Some of us have been to them and we have been told how to best manage ourselves as politicians if a crisis is unfolding. The one thing we have always been told is you should not go into hiding and you should come out front-footed and explain yourself. I would like to know where Ryan is. I know he has given some commentary to the media but RTÉ has told us that for editorial reasons, he is not on air. Who made that editorial decision? Is it the production team of his radio show or is it the witnesses?