Results 1,381-1,400 of 7,556 for speaker:Catherine Martin

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: In total. That is for Mazars, which is the forensic accountant.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I would much prefer that the solution as regards the cost base and future strategic direction can be brought forward without the need for compulsory redundancies. I have made that clear to the DG. At the end of the day, however, it is up to the director general to bring his vision for cost-efficiency forward. I have made it clear what we would not like to see.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: Any redundancy programme that would be brought forward would have to be assessed. It would have to include how it might be funded and-----

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: We are talking in the hypothetical. It is something that NewERA would assess, in the hypothetical. As I said, we hope that will not be brought to us but if it is, that is the process that will take place.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: That is for the DG to bring to me. The Government does not make decisions on operational matters. It is for RTÉ to bring those decisions to us. We do not want a government to make decisions on cost-cutting measures for RTÉ. It happens the other way around with RTÉ. It will bring them to us.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: Absolutely. I said that what I hoped for in the future of RTÉ was that focus on independent productions. There is a statutory obligation in respect of independent productions. I met with them two weeks ago and, as I said to Senator Byrne, allayed their fears on that. They will and should be protected. It is a key part of public service.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: That is a matter for RTÉ to decide.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I presumed the Senator was talking about section 481. I have not received any proposal on that.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: That would be a matter for the Minister for Finance but there is no proposal on the table at the minute.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: Revenue was on the technical working group that was set up to look at the alternative to Exchequer funding. It would very much have linked in.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: You have to look at the quantum of funding. There is what will be provided in the budget in relation to that €16 million recommendation from the Future of Media Commission to make sure it does not fall but, rather than an expectation of receiving the money, the tables have turned and there is now an expectation that RTÉ expects us to put conditionality on it as a direct...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: There may be a role for NewERA in that. This is something that we have to investigate in how the funding is released. All of this is being discussed at the minute.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: To restore trust, the public would expect that conditionality. Part of that path forward is restoring the trust. It is certainly not just about money. It is about building trust up in something that is invaluable to us as a society.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: As I said, I can understand that frustration at the apparent lack of consequences but when it comes to accountability, it is about the participation and engagement with the Oireachtas and expert advisory committees. That is why we need key people in this controversy, when they are in better health, to engage to help restore the trust in a body they say they absolutely respect and cherish.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: Unfortunately, there are legal complexities in relation to pension requirements that we simply cannot crossover into. That is just the fact of the legal complexities there. All I can do is urge all relevant individuals to engage.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: I would point the Deputy to the fact we have a new chair of the board. The executive has been replaced with an interim leadership team and with a new DG. It is not for me to interfere with operational matters of the day-to-day business but maybe this is something that will emerge from the expert advisory groups in relation to culture and governance. There may well be recommendations there...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: That is something I can feed into those expert groups, that is, the concern emerging from this committee about the lack of consequences. I could ask them to give consideration to that. As I said, there is regular contact - a few times per week - and engagement with those expert groups so I can do that on foot of this committee meeting.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: It is no longer an executive board; it is an interim leadership team. From what I have seen take place in terms of reform and of having proper processes in place under the leadership of the DG with this new leadership team, it gives me confidence in them and allays concerns.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: Regarding the executive board and the new interim leadership team, the Deputy has to remember that under the legislation my direct relationship is with the chair of the board, not with the executive, and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on that.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: RTÉ Oversight and Long-Term Support and Funding: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media (4 Oct 2023)

Catherine Martin: While I am the line Minister it is very hard to get my personal opinion on something without it being then perceived as my official opinion on something, to be fair.