Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I welcome the witnesses and thank them for the significant work they have invested in the strategy. Somewhere in the strategy, or perhaps in the video Mr. Bakhurst recorded, is the phrase "the third age". For me, this is very much an ambitious plan for the delivery of that third age. Thankfully, I have lived through all three, which is great. I remember sitting on my father's lap watching "The Riordans" in black and white. I remember crowding around a radio with my teenage friends when 2FM went on air. Last Sunday, my son watched Galway prevailing over Dublin on his phone while on the move in the US. It is an extraordinary evolution in a relatively short period. I wish RTÉ every success in delivering on this. It is crucial for us, as a nation and a people, and I will speak about this, that the very essence, spirit and ethos of what RTÉ stands for remains at the heart of the organisation. From my reading of the strategy and from my perspective, I believe this is what the witnesses have in their hearts and minds as they set out on what will be an exceptionally challenging road.

Mr. Waghorn has an exciting and pivotal role to play with regard to the digital side and how people - I again reference my son - access it. I have a particular question about something that has always mystified me. The section of the strategy on programming opens with the statement that RTÉ will provide high-quality impactful programmes for all of its audiences and programmes that bring our country together. I would argue that it should replace the word "country" with the word "people". The Irish nation extends to far more than just the people who live on this island. At best guess - and nobody has ever been successful in putting a number on it - is that right now at least 1 million of our citizens are living outside the country. If we go into the realm of the diaspora, the figure is negotiable at between 60 million and 70 million.

Right now there are 1 million Irish citizens who do not live in this country. News, current affairs, sport and culture are as important to them as if they were living next door. How do we intend to connect with them in future? RTÉ speaks about a personalisation of the digital experience whereby people can curate their own RTÉ experience no matter where they live in the world. I have a very amateur understanding of how this happens. There are big licensing and distribution issues. Can they be overcome? Is this one of RTÉ's ambitions in terms of how it will connect with the people abroad? I recall the former Taoiseach Deputy Varadkar saying people do not need to reside on the island of Ireland to consider themselves to be truly Irish. I fundamentally believe this. What are RTÉ's plans to connect with our community around the world?