Reynolds case 'shouldn't have happened' - Rabbitte

Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte has described RTÉ's handling of the Fr Kevin Reynolds case as a "debacle".

Minister Rabbitte said the 'Mission to Prey' programe, part of the now-axed 'Prime Time Investigates' strand, was a departure from the broadcaster's "usual high standards".

Yesterday leaked documents from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) were highly critical of the standards of journalism involved in the broadcast.

But Minister Rabbitte said he will not comment further until the BAI inquiry is complete.

"Nobody is arguing that this is anything other than a debacle," the Minister said.

"It shouldn't have happened.

"This is a departure from the usual high standards in RTÉ," he added.

"That doesn't make the mistake any less egregious - it was an horrific defamation of the priest concerned, and he has the same rights to be vindicated as you or I."