Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

-----bring this to a conclusion today.

We have received apologies from a large number of people but Mr. Bakhurst and his colleagues have been very agreeable and forthcoming with information. I appeal to Ms Forbes, if she is watching, to please make herself available to this committee at some point. We do not want to go down the road of compelling but we may be left with no option. There is a particular crisis in RTÉ. As regards this committee doing work on the future funding of the organisation, while RTÉ wants to have that conversation, we really cannot do so. It is unfair to ask that of the Minister and the Government without this work being completed. That is my honest view of the matter. I appeal to Ms Forbes and Ms Doherty, if she is listening in, and Mr. Coveney not to put the committee in the position of compelling. When it comes to our deliberations on both the reports, their input is critical. I ask them to make themselves available when they are fit, ready and able to do so.

I will continue with some of the lines of inquiry pursued by my colleagues. I will begin with Mr. Lynch. I was one of the people last January because I attended Toy Show The Musical. I am not saying I definitely asked Mr. Lynch but I definitely asked Mr. Coveney and the answer I received was an obvious push-back - that this was commercially sensitive information and we cannot go there. Mr. Lynch sat through that meeting and there was an opportunity. I am reliably informed that I asked the question in June. I had concerns and coming from an arts background, it was pretty obvious to anybody who attended that there was a real problem and issue. It is upsetting for all of the witnesses and members of the committee to read the Grant Thornton report, which clearly shows that board members were not given information. I would go as far as saying they were deceived about the whole thing. Others are jumping up and down and asking for the heads of some of the board members who had no information. They were given information on sponsorship and commercial aspects that was intended to deceive the board members in place at the time about the real picture around Toy Show The Musical.

I will begin with the board members who have not had an opportunity to speak and were bystanders, not by choice but because they did not have the information. I only have ten minutes and I want to make sure everyone has an opportunity. What are their thoughts? I will begin with Dr. Matthews. How does he feel today as he sits here?