Mr. S?amus Dooley:

I hope we will not still be waiting for expert reports, which is what happened with the Future of Media Commission. It took a very long time. I sound that warning because we really need it. Assuming those reports are published, I believe we will move very quickly to an area where people will roll up their sleeves and have the resources to achieve reform. There is goodwill on the part of the trade union group. I think there is goodwill on the part of the leadership within RTÉ. Earlier, I was asked whether any good came out of this. One of the good things that has come out is the ability of the public to recognise the difference between a management culture and workers on the ground who deliver excellence in adverse circumstances. While people will have their differences about editorial decision-making, there is still respect for public service broadcasting, as well as an acknowledgement of what that means. In my experience, this is particularly the case outside the greater Dublin area, where people understand the importance of public service broadcasting. This is not just for RTÉ; there is also public interest journalism. In my view, one of the things informing that is how people are more and more aware of the alternative. They see the misinformation and reflect on what happens if we do not have informed, responsible and ethical journalism. If I were to be optimistic, I would say I think we can build on that. There is a contract that has been broken and it was not broken by us, but that contract has to be restored.