Rónán Mullen (Independent)

It needs to be continued in a way that allows the Minister to hear extended contributions from Senators who have been expressing concerns about media standards for a long time. The Minister gave a very eloquent speech, responded to some contributions and answered some questions. We need more, however. That is particularly obvious in the wake of the latest controversy that is swirling around RTE and in light of comments by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Leo Varadkar, who is the first in a long time to identify with particular clarity a certain bias that exists in our public service broadcaster's coverage on certain issues from time to time. I think there is a difference in style to be noted between Deputy Varadkar's very frank assessment of a bias in favour of left wing, or what he calls centre left, viewpoints.

I also notice a tendency in the comments of the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, to let RTE off the hook, so to speak. I do not think it was satisfactory that Deputy Rabbitte should go to the other extreme and ridicule the notion that one would have heads on plates so to speak. I do not think the Madame Defarge approach is being advocated by genuine critics of our public service broadcaster. There is a very legitimate concern that people who are in receipt of taxpayers' money are not doing their utmost to guarantee full fairness, impartiality and balance in their coverage of certain current affairs matters. There is no doubt that the way RTE set up Mr. Gallagher in the context of "The Frontline" programme did indeed change the outcome of the election. I am very surprised to hear people suggesting otherwise, because it is quite clear that the way the matter was handled on "The Frontline" programme set in train a series of events that operated very much to Mr. Gallagher's disadvantage. That is making no critique of the eventual winner.