Mr. S?amus Dooley:

I am not going to personalise this in reference to individuals such as the director general. The reality is that as a result of a crisis not of our making as staff, the Government made a decision that further money to RTÉ will be contingent on change. That is a fact. I do not think the director general, or the executive board, interim leadership or whatever they call themselves these days, had any option but to say, "Yes, we will introduce change". Change is needed. The committee will not get any argument from us on that. The problem I have is that I think - in fact, I know - that the strategy report that was published is not the strategy that would have been published if there was not a gun to the head of RTÉ. There would have been greater consultation and, I hope, much more engagement with staff. I remind the committee that we heard about this in a media leak. I do think there is a gun to RTÉ's head. The Government made the decision, and it is a political decision. I understand why it wants reform. What we are saying is that we have real concerns that in achieving those reforms, the best interests of the Irish people are not being served.