Unfair RTÉ treatment of abuse institutions

MAY I briefly reply to Niall Meehan’s letter (Irish Examiner, December 23).

The thrust of my letter was a comparing and contrasting exercise.

I’m not in any way condoning abuse/neglect, regardless of its source.

However, by any objective analysis over the last 15 years or so there has been a totally unbalanced level of scrutiny regarding Catholic-related institutions by comparison with others.

Take Bethany House as an example. Mr Meehan is to be commended for researching this story.

Nevertheless, it seems extraordinary that the national broadcaster, just down the road in D4, while simultaneously making back-to-back documentaries (States of Fear, Dear Daughter, etc, etc.) relating to the Catholic Church, totally ignored Bethany House.

Mr Meehan’s revelations were reported, but given their import not as forensically/comprehensively as the relatively lesser cases of Catholic-related abuse.

Equally the recent revelation of approx. 200 deaths of children in State care, was totally downplayed by RTE and others. Maybe I’ve missed Liveline lately!

However, perhaps I’m being unfair and jumping the gun.

As we speak RTE could be commissioning melodramas about Bethany House and HSE-related child deaths.

Eric Conway

Navan

Co. Meath