Mr. Alan Esslemont:

Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. Last year was a good year for TG4. We went to the Oscars and we launched a children's channel after 20 years of trying. Many good things were coming through. We were asked to prepare a statement of strategy for both Coimisiún na Meán and the Department. That statement of strategy was accepted by the Dáil. It saw us growing by roughly €10 million or €11 million every year until we would reach a scale equivalent to S4C. We thought we were making good progress with the Department. The Minister has been very good for TG4. Just before the budget, however, we found out that rather than €11 million, which we had expected, we were to receive €5 million. Given that we had just launched a children's channel that we need to populate and for which we have some fantastic content coming through, that was very difficult. I do hear quite often that politicians want to have a remove between themselves and the editorial content of broadcasters. When we lose €6 million almost overnight, however, we understand who is the boss. That has a major impact on our editorial content. That has made this year very difficult for us. We were grateful in as much that we got a supplementary towards the end of last year thanks to the support of people in the Oireachtas. That has helped us a little. We need a strategy for TG4, however. We need to see a stronger TG4 that will balance the broadcasting ecosystem in Ireland. This year, we did not see that, which was worrying.

On the second question, we do not have skin in the game here but we would like to see companies grow in areas outside Dublin-Wicklow. Because we were purposely set up outside of the Dublin-Wicklow area - I think we were the first in this regard - we are attracted to regional development. We have seen the problems with the map. We have all been across the problems with the map. If we do not have a map, then we have a nationwide supply of money. That basically means that given inertia, all of the competitive advantage lies within Dublin and Wicklow and without a map, that is not going to change.

We looked around. We have looked at the various maps. Given that the uplift was meant to be a cultural thing and the State has a great deal of commitment to the Irish language de jure, if you like, we felt that because the map of the Gaeltacht exists - these areas are historically the poorest in Ireland - that is why people still speak Irish there. A cultural and linguistic case can be made for using that map. Then, if we do use that map, we will get a glow around the map, even if we add in the bailte seirbhíse Gaeltachta, which are the Gaeltacht service towns, and we could increase that glow.

We know the likes of "Smother" did use the sector that has been working for TG4 and has been using the resources. Many of the regional productions do reach out to our talent because we are available and working in the regions. That is basically what we feel. Now, this is down to the Department, but it is worth looking at this proposal. That map exists, so it would encourage companies to be based in the Gaeltacht. There would, therefore, be a linguistic return on investment, but it would also create a base for other productions that are not happening. If, for example, there was a company in the Gaeltacht in County Cork, it would create some kind of cluster around it that would help towards the vision we have. If there is not a map, however, then inertia rules and Dublin-Wicklow rules, and we will not get regional development.