Ahern denies role in axing Crown from show

THE Taoiseach yesterday strenuously denied any political interference in the decision that led to the last-minute axing of a prominent health specialist from the Late Late Show.

Bertie Ahern insisted he had no knowledge of political pressure being applied on RTÉ to have Professor John Crown — a long time critic of the Government’s health policy — removed from the debate on the health service on Friday.

During his 30 years in politics, the Taoiseach said he has never had the ability to direct anything in RTÉ, adding that if he or anybody associated with him made such a call, a guest would probably get double the length of time on air.

However, this last point was rejected by RTÉ’s managing director of television, Noel Curran. He insisted that independent programmes make independent assessments. “There are contacts between radio and television constantly between political handlers and PR advisers. It’s the same with corporate company PR advisers,” he said.

Last night, Fine Gael’s Simon Coveney called on the chairman of the Oireachtas Communications Committee to invite Mr Curran to answer questions regarding the issue.

Defending her department amid growing criticism, Health Minister Mary Harney said it was strictly a matter for the Late Late Show to decide who appeared as a guest.

“The matter of who is on programmes is a matter for RTÉ. I don’t run RTÉ,” she said. “I welcome balanced debate wherever. Balanced debate is very important, of course it is.”

However, Labour’s health spokeswoman Jan O’Sullivan said the explanations offered by the Government and RTÉ posed “serious questions” about how and by whom a decision was reached to drop Prof Crown from the panel. “There is now a blame game going on between the Late Late Show production team and Noel Curran, managing director of television, as to who actually took the decision to drop Dr Crown,” she said.

Earlier Mr Curran insisted it was the Late Late Show production team that had made the ultimate decision about who to drop from the panel. However, presenter Pat Kenny is said to have told Prof Crown that the decision was made at a higher level.

“We know that the Minister for Health’s office was in touch with the station regarding the Late Late Show on Friday. We know that Dr Crown was singled out for nasty personal attack by the Taoiseach in the Dáil last week,” said Ms O’Sullivan.

“And now the public is asked to believe that the decision to drop the most vociferous and articulate medical critic of the Government’s cancer care policy had nothing to do with either of these.”