Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We are all well aware that the institutional reputation of RTÉ has never been so low or so degraded. Through a series of scandals, blunders, incompetence and outright negligence around good corporate governance, the situation is now a full blown omnishambles. The public are responding by withholding payment of the licence fee in record numbers. Ordinary people I speak to are not just angry with RTÉ and the Minister, they are absolutely disgusted by the arrogance they see and by RTÉ's arrogance. For some bizarre reason RTÉ feels it has a right to our trust; it does not. Its coverage of everything, from climate to immigration to the impact of Government policies on rural Ireland, has been absolutely woeful and unbalanced. Independent media has stepped up to the mark and has shown more respect to the communities in this State than RTÉ has. The independent media sector has shown itself to be far more professional, competent, trustworthy, balanced and fair. RTÉ should hold its head in shame. I have seen what has gone on in communities. Very few people I know trust a single word that emerges from RTÉ. This is the direct result of its own spectacular abuse of the privileged position it once enjoyed. RTÉ should be allowed to go the way of Virgin Media or even Sky and if people want to support it, then let them freely choose it through subscriptions.

See this speech in context