Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

He has an entitlement for them to be vindicated and to be seen to be vindicated. Second, the normally high standard of that programme should not be damaged and in my view this is best achieved by it being properly and independently investigated and let the pieces fall where they will. In reply to Senator Michael Mullins the investigation is likely to be concluded very soon and in that context I am happy to look at the additional issues he has raised concerning a second segment of the programme. We have referred certain correspondence in respect of that matter to both the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and to RTE.

A difficult question was raised by several Senators regarding the independent broadcasters. From my travels around the country I am familiar with their work. It needs to be borne in mind that they were commercial enterprises undertaken at the time. They are going through a rough time at present, like many of the media, as a result of the decrease in advertising. Any change to be made will be for the introduction of a public service broadcasting support. Whether this means they undertake the kind of investigative legwork to which Senator Mooney has referred or whether they fund the RTE light orchestra or they invest money in the arts and culture or whatever, we need to hold on to this important resource.

Senator Crown raised the question as to whether the media was as intrusive in the past as it ought to have been. The age of deference is certainly over now. In the past, the TD, the parish priest and the Garda sergeant were shown tremendous deference throughout the country-----