Gallagher will not sue RTÉ over ‘election-changing’ debate

Former presidential hopeful Sean Gallagher will not be taking legal proceedings against RTÉ despite a senior figure at the station admitting the flawed Frontline programme debate changed the outcome of election.

Mr Gallagher previously considered a legal route following reports that a studio audience member’s question was altered by producers being more hostile towards him.

However, it is understood he has decided against taking action.

He was unavailable for comment yesterday.

On Newstalk yesterday, RTÉ news and current affairs editor David Nally said he felt the programme changed the outcome of the election.

“Yes, I do accept that it changed the outcome of the presidential debate, of the presidential election... people who watched the programme made their decision, and a certain chunk of the audience decided, I think, that making Sean Gallagher the president — straight into that office from nowhere, it seems — a chunk of the electorate decided in the final few days it was too big a leap; it was a leap in the dark,” said Mr Nally.

An internal report on the broadcast published on Sunday found eventual winner Michael D Higgins got an easier ride than others on the debate. It said the failure to subject Mr Higgins to a question from the audience was a “significant omission”.

The report also criticised the fact an audience question came from a person who had a relation in the production team. Also, the questioner was a member of a political party, which was not flagged. It also said the selection of the audience gave undue weight to people who had previously contacted the Pat Kenny radio show.

The Broadcasting Authority of Ireland previously upheld a complaint over a bogus tweet read out by presenter Mr Kenny which was wrongly attributed to Martin McGuinness’s campaign.

RTÉ’s director of news and current affairs Kevin Bakhurst admitted that mistakes were made in the broadcast and said a number of staff members had been disciplined.