Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the news today that the Minister will be commencing an independent, root-and-branch examination of RTÉ and a review of contractor fees, including for those on short-term employment contracts and whether any of the existing recruitment and HR practices have an impact on equality and opportunity. The only thing we can say is that our trust in our public service television and radio station has broken. Many people working there have been hurt by the revelations, hearing about deals that were not available to everyone in the public service provider when they were forced to take pay cuts. The top earners earn too much and, as previous speakers have said, they should be capped.

People who work at RTÉ have been talking about the lack of support for younger journalists and people on zero-hour contracts. The freelancers have told us of their battles for fair pay and conditions too. It is the same for screen producers and writers looking for their opportunity to be on the national broadcaster. That is the issue. I have spoken to a lot of them. It is a huge concern.

RTÉ chiefs have let us down. There have been shocking governance failings within RTÉ. At a time when impartial media is vital, we need public media that is fit for purpose. In a world of fake news and upheaval, we need media we can trust. We need it to be able to hold decision-makers to account and to cover topics that profit-driven media will not touch. RTÉ has had our ears and our eyes for 63 years and has provided a public space for the people of Ireland to speak to each other, to see each other and experience society in real time. It has reflected the best of us and shone a light on the worst of our stories. It has also given a platform to unique and hidden voices. That is really important.

We need to restore trust here and to do that, we need everyone working together. It is so important that at the meeting this Friday between the Minister and the incoming director general of RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst, and the chair of the RTÉ's board, Siún Ní Raghallaigh, plans are discussed on how RTÉ will co-operate and facilitate the completion of the examination, as well as the immediate next steps they are going to take to restore trust and confidence in RTÉ.

I have spoken to many people this week, and received phone calls to my office, as I am sure other Deputies and Ministers have. The issue of the TV licence has come up on several occasions. This has had a big impact when people heard about trips and tickets that were bought and paid for. I saw this myself. A lady who is a pensioner called me about this. She has family members with children going back to school and they are struggling to make ends meet. She told me that they all struggled to pay the TV licence, particularly people with young families and outgoings such as mortgages. As a grandmother, she said she found it very hard when she hears these stories. We need to get trust back. I believe that the Minister will do so. I believe RTÉ will come back to the way it was before. Much work has to be done. Trust and confidence are going to be the big issues for the people of Ireland.

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