Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a final question. My colleague Senator Carrigy alluded to this earlier. RTÉ is probably sitting on one of the most valuable landbanks in the country, if not the most valuable. There is no question about that. I believe that RTÉ, as an organisation that is on a precarious financial footing - it is a judgment call as to how precarious it is - needs to consider seriously the future of that landbank and the role its value has to play in the survival of RTÉ. I am no expert in real estate but if I look at the previous sale in 2017, I would argue that - conservatively - it is probably worth in the region of €500 million at this point. I ask this question not in jest; I am deadly serious in asking it. Has it ever been considered why RTÉ has to locate itself in Dublin? In this country, we have a long-standing problem in that all of Irish public life is very much focused on this place where we now sit on the eastern side of the island.

There are numerous other locations in which RTÉ could place itself. An airport site of 115 acres in Galway city is owned by the taxpayer. Four RTÉs could fit on the site, which is in a city that has a longstanding tradition of drama, film and music production. Galway is one of just five cities in the world to be designated as a UNESCO city of film. There is an extraordinary tradition of production there. There are 50 production companies there, with 600 staff. TG4 does extraordinary work there. In fact, the possibility exists to co-locate TG4 and RTÉ on this site, with all of the synergies and the economies of scale that could be achieved through that. I am nearly certain that it is in the Gaeltacht. Will RTÉ contemplate moving lock, stock and barrel out of Dublin city? I would argue that the symbolism of that for the Irish people as a whole would be very powerful. RTÉ would be able to sell that site. It is something RTÉ should consider seriously. Has that ever been considered? Has such a discussion ever taken place at board level?