Broadcaster defends ‘Pantigate’ payout

RTÉ bosses have insisted they were right to pay out over the “homophobic” defamation controversy on The Saturday Night Show — despite the fact that those allegedly damaged initially only sought an apology.

Senior officials from the State broadcaster made the claim during the latest meeting of the Oireachtas communications committee yesterday.

Speaking to the cross-party body, director general, Noel Curran, deputy director general, Kevin Bakhurst, and RTÉ’s director of legal affairs, Eamonn Kennedy, accepted the decision to pay out €85,000 to five people over the ‘Pantigate’ scandal caused consternation among some members of the public.