Ms Moya Doherty:

I agree entirely with the Deputy. I went into that organisation as a typist. I was a broadcasting assistant, a production assistant, a small-time presenter and I ended as a producer-director. I was never on a high salary. I worked with people who were on very high salaries. I never wanted to be a manager; I wanted to stay within production.

Regarding the tension the Deputy rightly mentioned, we must not forget that the entire ecosystem has changed. This is not the way things were 20 years ago when the huge salaries were agreed and there was competition out there. It is difficult to get those salaries back. As the organisation said, they were reduced by 30% and then by a further 15%. That is a 45% saving in all but there was one salary where we know we did not get that saving because there was a clandestine arrangement.

It is absolutely time. If any good is to come of this, it is that all you leaders and representatives around this table will lead the way in a proper debate and make a public service media that is fit for purpose in the 21st century so that we never have these conversations again and people can feel properly remunerated, fairly treated and that their voices are heard.