Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In terms of the big picture and the future funding of media and of RTÉ, this is something this committee has been focused on. We have waited patiently for a decision on this and we have waited patiently for a steer on what direction the future of media will be and how it will be funded. There is the whole question of the licence fee versus device fee versus funding from the general Exchequer. There are so many stakeholders who are very eager to get an answer to this and I know the Minister said earlier she hoped to have a decision on that in March but then the whole saga with RTÉ unfolded and that delayed things.

I will underline one thing; the sooner we make a decision on this, no matter how politically unpopular it may be, the better. We have to grasp this nettle.