Ms Dee Forbes:

The Chairman asked about the evasion rate and the BAI's recommendation that there was an immediate need for €30 million in funding. As I said earlier, the 14.6% evasion rate equates to approximately €40 million in lost funding. In an ideal world everything would line up; the evasion rate would be tackled and we would get that money. We have been talking for some time about the need for reform. We recognise that it will take some time for the collection of the licence fee to be reformed. The BAI is stating this is an immediate need because RTÉ cannot wait for reform that would I hope generate additional income.

Deputy Timmy Dooley referred to the "unprecedented" nature of the BAI's statement that funding was needed now because RTÉ was in a crisis. That is the difference in the position and we have been saying this for some time. It is important to mention that additional money is not being collected in respect of homes that claim not to have a television. The current licence fee arrangement allows people not to pay the licence fee in respect of homes where RTÉ Player is watched online. That equates to a figure of a further €15 million. The other thing that is important is that that money would also help the industry. If we were to get it immediately, it would go back into creative industry to commission Irish content. The commissions would go to Irish production companies, which would help us to tell Ireland's story better. Our urgency is also reflected in the industry. I am sure the committee has heard from many people about the fact that our commissioning levels to Irish production companies have halved in recent years. We were spending €80 million on commissioned programmes, but we are now spending just €40 million on such programmes. Again, that is reflective. The urgency is reflected to us. In turn, it is reflective of what is happening in the industry. That is the difference.

I ask my colleague, Ms O'Keeffe, to speak about the land sale and the debt.