Michael Moynihan (Cork North West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We expect the highest standards from the national broadcaster and have seen the disastrous consequences when it has not adhered to best practice. That is a debate which has taken place in committee rooms and elsewhere. As the Minister said about the licence fee, society is changing and RTE, for all its technical advice and backup systems which were seen as the leaders in technology, seems to be somewhat behind the curve. Advertisers have moved away from it. Huge changes will take place in broadcasting in the next five to ten years. We often hear commentators in RTE talking about fat in the system in other businesses or State bodies. Are the Minister and the Department completely satisfied that every efficiency has been achieved in RTE, in terms of backroom staff, producers, researchers and so forth working on particular programmes? After his discussions with RTE and given the changing face of broadcasting, is the Minister satisfied that it is up to speed in what will be a completely changed system in the next five to ten years?

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