Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)

One of the directions we will have to give to any new authority is that with that public resource, the spectrum to broadcast and the ability to use that public owned asset, comes obligations to ensure we develop high standards. I am not saying individual journalists are not meeting the highest standards against the odds but it is important we set standards to ensure broadcasting can flourish in what it is there to do, namely, present Irish life to the people in a way that is informative, entertaining and educational. The development of an independent radio sector both for public sector broadcasts and other independent broadcasters has the potential to improve that quality. It is something we will have to develop.

I asked my officials for a copy of the latest accounts to determine the current position and effectively it is at zero. As we move towards the amount set out in our proposed amendment, it is a significant step in a different direction but I will consider the comments made over the summer holidays and I am sure we will have further discussion on the issue in the Dáil.