Ms Katherine Licken:

RTÉ demonstrated how important public service broadcasting really is during the pandemic. It provided critical information. The evidence is there to show that people rely on RTÉ as a trusted source of information. Good and transparent public service media, and good media overall, are important for a well-functioning democracy. It was precisely for this reason that the Future of Media Commission was established. It is in the programme for Government. The commission has completed its deliberations, and those are being considered by the Minister and the Taoiseach. Part of those deliberations concerned looking at public service broadcasting and the wider media landscape.

To address the Chair's question, we do monitor RTÉ's financial position closely. It was in surplus in 2020. As I said, the Future of Media Commission is a policy matter for Ministers, but we are working closely with RTÉ, with NewERA, which has a role in the governance of RTÉ, and with the BAI to monitor the situation closely. We are conscious of the importance of RTÉ.