Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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On the point on the answers to questions Nos. 4 and 39a regarding the provision of a guarantee at the meeting of 7 May, the principal argument of RTÉ is that the guarantee was given at the meeting of 7 May. It has been its position from the very beginning. I cannot recall any primary evidence from anybody before the committee, given that Dee Forbes was not here and many of the people who gave evidence were not at that meeting, of a guarantee at any point. It has to be put to RTÉ that, if this is its principal argument, there must be some evidence this guarantee took place. If there is not, we will have to take this into consideration when we make our recommendations. It would not be a finding of facts, of course, but the fact is that it is the fundamental belief of RTÉ's executives that the guarantee was the reason additional money was paid. After months of investigation, however, we have no evidence an agreement was made at that meeting.