Mr. Aodhán Ó Dubhghaill:

Both the models to which the Deputy referred, between sponsorship and actually getting people to back us in whatever way possible, are undoubtedly looked at constantly. We are always looking for new ways of bringing in revenue for both orchestras. The reality, however, is that the big companies are not out there any more. They are not sponsoring the arts specifically, but they are certainly not sponsoring orchestral output. It is getting more and more difficult to get anyone who is interested in such sponsorship. This is a global issue, however, not just here in Ireland.

The Deputy asked about the size of the orchestras. The National Symphony Orchestra had 81 players; it now has 68 players. The RTÉ Concert Orchestra had 45 players; it now has 40 players. We have started recruitment and started to fill some key roles, but to get back to where we were and go beyond it - the report recommends actually expanding the orchestras, back up to 89 players in the case of the National Symphony Orchestra - requires funding, and this is the big battle.