Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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In the aftermath of "A Mission to Prey", has RTE consulted other national broadcasting organisations to learn what safety measures and protocols they implement? Is RTE happy with current reforms to ensure that there is no repeat? Will a vetting system be put in place? It was a humiliating, terrible and extraordinary ordeal for the person concerned, his family and community. The programme was diabolical in the first place.

Noel Curran is the director general, chief executive and editor in chief but the news editor got the bullet. Was the wrong person sacked? Did Mr. Curran consider tendering his resignation? What action did the board and its chairman take? How did the news editor lose his job? I presume he no longer has a job. His firing will be detrimental to his chance of progressing in life and securing jobs that carry responsibilities. I believe that the buck stops at the manager's desk. Somebody is responsible for the gross negligence and total lack of protocol and safety measures. Normally it is the person in charge, the executive who is in control, who is fired.

The licensing fees of €176 million, and I can be corrected about the figure, allows RTE to fund a public broadcasting service. It is my firm belief that RTE does not give that amount of service to the community and the general public.

I am amazed that the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, proposes to increase the €160 television licence fee. I have made my views on the matter known through the committee and at Dáil level. It is unacceptable to maintain the current fee, it should be reduced. People can no longer afford such exorbitant fees being paid to one broadcasting station. RTE should fund itself by operating in the commercial sector.

I wish to follow-up on comments made by other speakers. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan made relevant points and I commend him on stating comparative figures from the BBC. The RTE presenters and managers do not live in the real world when it comes to finance. They live on a different planet. The salaries have been allowed to continue. Ireland would be the laughing stock of Europe if the salaries were known. We are a small island nation and that is why the matter is not being broadcast publicly. The salaries are excessive when compared with the size of the population.

We have reduced wages. Let us compare salaries with the salary paid to the President of the United States, the person who wields the most power in the world. A television and radio presenter here earns three times his salary, another television and radio broadcaster earns over three times and one radio person earns twice the amount. That gives us food for thought.

I wish to extend a belated welcome to the delegation. I should have said it at the start of my presentation. I wish them the best.