Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests for coming in today. I am very disappointed with so many things going on and that no real progress has been made. My main questions is to ask how on earth could RTÉ have reappointed Deloitte as the organisation’s auditors? That firm gave a clean bill of health to RTÉ in 2023 and my question is to ask how could it have given that? Is RTÉ keeping that same firm on? I understand RTÉ has signed a new contract with it for two years but I am open to correction on that point. Is that an effort to keep the chickens in the house, if the guests can pardon the pun, and to keep the rooster away from them? We badly need a rooster to get into RTÉ because there are so many hundreds of good people in there. I want to re-emphasise that. These are people who work there daily and who are frightened and scared at what is going on. We have had the saga of the musical - the comical I call it - and it is so sad because it is taxpayers’ money. We listened this day week past when we heard the speeches, one after the other in the Dáil Chamber, about the late Taoiseach, John Bruton, and his dedication to the public service, and we are dedicated. That extends further to the public service and to RTÉ as public service broadcasters. Where was the dedication when this cabal exited? I read about it again because Moya Doherty is not here, a former chair and there is no response from her. Dee Forbes declined due to ill health. Jim Jennings also declined due to ill health. Breda O’Keeffe declined due to stress. Rory Coveney is as láthair, is absent and has declined. Richard Collins and Geraldine O’Leary have declined, as has Connor Murphy.