RTÉ to review role in musicmaking - Orchestras must be sustained

This week the Paradise Papers showed what lengths investors will go to minimise tax bills. 

Even if that objective is often achieved legally this week’s report that there are about 684,800 people on hospital waiting lists underlined just one consequence flowing from that affront to social responsibility, one that gravely limits governments’ capacity to support vital social services.

Yesterday’s announcement that RTÉ is to review the roles of the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra is another consequence of public service budgets diminished by offshore shadow boxing with revenue authorities. In the orchestras’ case, that situation is exacerbated by the destruction of traditional revenue streams by ever-more powerful international entities — the very entities who maximise offshore accountancy opportunities.