Mr. Noel Curran:

We operate in a society that expects a national broadcaster. I can only talk from our point of view, but I believe the newspapers and other broadcasters would share my perspective. We are expected to and obliged to have and facilitate debate. We broadcast so much live debate that mistakes will be made. Mistakes aside, people will interpret statements and react to them. Facilitating reasoned debate — I do not mean mud-slinging or saying what one likes about people — to which people, particularly in public life, can take exception requires protection for broadcasters. If the law is very restrictive in this regard, it needs to be examined.