Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

For the purposes of clarification, in some respects the petition has been superseded by the fact that RTÉ has replied to the joint committee with a copy of the independent report published on 23 April. It is worth going into its content. It is entitled, RTÉ Orchestras: Ensuring a Sustainable Future, and was produced by the former director of BBC Radio and BBC News, Ms Helen Boaden, with the support of the strategy consulting firm Mediatique. The review looked at the best way to provide high quality and sustainable orchestral services for the Irish public and covered the National Symphony Orchestra and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. It is important to distinguish between the two. The report's core conclusion is that it is not in the national interest for either of the two orchestras to be closed and that they should be brought up to full strength. However, the report also concludes that it is hard to see how RTÉ can fund even the current level of provision, let alone cover the increase in budgets that would be required to enable the orchestras to return to full strength and undertake touring and educational programmes. It recommends that the National Symphony Orchestra be established as a national cultural institution in its own right, or as part of the National Concert Hall, and be funded by the Government. I believe committee members are agreeing to a further discussion on the matter. Many people are confused about what is going on. Many of us absolutely agree that the output of both orchestras is absolutely vital to Ireland's cultural life, but it is also pertinent for the committee to agree to the suggestion that we invite the director general of RTÉ to come to give us its perspective on the issue. I propose that we do not close the petition at this point in order that we can have that further discussion. We can then see what action the committee might take arising from that discussion.