Reynolds scandal the worst libel RTÉ has been involved in, says Bird

Veteran RTÉ reporter Charlie Bird has described the scandal over the ‘Mission to Prey’ Prime Time Investigates episode as “the worst libel, the worst mistake RTÉ has ever been involved in”.

Reynolds scandal the  worst libel RTÉ has been involved in, says Bird

The programme, broadcast on May 23, falsely accused Galway parish priest Fr Kevin Reynolds of raping a teenage girl while working as a missionary in Africa and of fathering her child. A paternity test later proved Fr Reynolds was not the father. RTÉ was forced to apologise and pay damages, believed to be in excess of €1m.

“Of course it damaged RTÉ, it damaged it enormously badly... it was the worst libel, the worst mistake RTÉ has ever been involved in. You can’t get any more horrendous than that,” Charlie Bird told journalism students in University of Limerick yesterday.

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