TDs attack RTÉ for Prime Time scandal
Members of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Communication sharply criticised RTÉ chairman Tom Savage and director general Noel Curran over their handling of the Mission to Prey programme.
Mr Savage, whose resignation was sought by Independent TD Mattie McGrath, said the broadcaster shared in the anger and dismay of the public, members of the Oireachtas, and the Government.
Mr Savage said the programme, which was from a series with an unequalled record in investigative journalism, had gravely damaged RTÉ’s standing in the public’s view.
“What brings us here today is the gravest editorial crisis that RTÉ has experienced certainly in a generation and perhaps since the establishment of television 50 years ago,” said Mr Savage.
He confessed he still found it “inexplicable”, even after a number of separate investigations to find how the programme ever made it on air.
Mr Savage said the RTÉ board was going to examine the programme-making culture within the station as part of a major review of its editorial procedures, which has already seen more than 500 staff being briefed on new guidelines.
Mr Curran expressed surprise at the level of criticism directed at RTÉ for not waiving its right to privilege over legal advice to assist an inquiry by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.
Mr Curran said RTÉ would have considered releasing the material if it had realised it was such a serious issue and was seen as hampering the BAI inquiry. However, he stressed the programme makers were under no illusion about the high risk in going ahead with the broadcast.
“Legal advice is to tell us the risks, not to decide whether to broadcast a programme or not,” Mr Curran said, adding his belief that investigative journalism by RTÉ would improve over time as a result.
Mr Curran conceded there were system failures within the station, including its guidelines on doorstepping and secret filming, which were “ambiguous”. However, he defended the use of such techniques as investigative journalism was “not always clean-cut”.
Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív called for an independent review of a random selection of RTÉ current affairs programmes to examine how topics and panellists were chosen and how texts and tweets were used.
Mr Ó Cuív said the libelling of Fr Reynolds represented “trial by television”.
He claimed the evidence produced against the priest would have been speedily thrown into a waste paper basket if submitted to the DPP.
Mr Ó Cuív said that the biggest attack on investigative journalism was the “shoddy way” the Mission to Prey programme had been produced.
Sinn Féin’s Martin Ferris said some investigative journalism within RTÉ had become “tabloid”, with other programmes also being very damaging to individuals.
He alluded to The Frontline presidential debate and its treatment of both Martin McGuinness and Sean Gallagher.
The BAI agreed that its investigator, Anna Carrag-her, had never asked RTÉ to waive its legal privilege.
In the face of some criticism by TDs, BAI chairman Bob Collins said Ms Carragher’s inquiry was “thorough, comprehensive, and had access to sufficient information”.
Mr Collins said he was satisfied the BAI had fully dealt with the matter. However, he said it was still premature to make a comprehensive judgment on the adequacy of legislation to investigate breaches of fairness and privacy as occurred in the recent case.
The meeting was adjourned, with RTÉ representatives due to return next Tuesday for further questioning.
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