RTÉ defends itself against Senator Norris' accusation it 'squirted accusations' into public domain

RTÉ has defended itself against claims made by Senator David Norris, who has accused it of "squirting accusations" of wrongdoing into the public domain.

Earlier this week the senator said RTÉ had accused him of appearing to be in breach of the ethics rules, by not disclosing his role as a director of a film company.

In its statement this evening RTÉ stood by its claim and pointed to documents filed with the Companies Registration Office in 2008, outlining how Senator Norris was appointed as a director of Albatross Films.

However, the forms do not carry the senator's signature, and RTÉ says it accepted his claim that he was not aware of his appointment.

However, the broadcaster says it "acted entirely prudently and fairly in seeking such clarification from Senator Norris", and added that its programme performed a valuable public service.

RTÉ Investigates statement in full:

In researching the documentary RTÉ Investigates - Standards In Public Office (RTÉ One 07/12/15), the RTÉ Investigations Unit gathered every single declaration of interest for each elected politician for 2014 and cross-checked them against official records. The programme team cross-referenced a huge volume of company registration and property title records to be probed to see if politicians had declared all their interests.

This research showed that a David Norris of 18 North Great George’s Street, Dublin 1, Date of Birth 31/7/1944 is included as a director of Albatross Films in that company’s most recent annual returns in the companies registration office. Accordingly, the RTÉ Investigations Unit wrote to Senator Norris on 17th November 2015 stating that he “appeared to be” in breach of his disclosure obligations under the Ethics in Public Office Act by failing to include this directorship in his declaration of interests and asking for his response.

Three days later, his office responded that: “When the company was set up a B10 form was submitted to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) dated 24 July 2008 with David Norris listed as a director and shareholder however Mr. Norris did not sign the B10 and had never agreed to be a director or shareholder of the company. He was entirely unaware that his name had been added until yesterday.” The response included a copy of the relevant B10 document showing that it had not been signed by David Norris.

RTÉ accepted this and did not include any mention of Senator Norris either in last Monday night’s RTÉ Investigates - Standards In Public Office documentary or online. RTÉ acted entirely prudently and fairly in seeking such clarificationfrom Senator Norris and RTÉ Investigates has been accurate and fair in all of its reporting in relation to theStandards In Public Office documentary.

RTÉ believes that Monday's programme performed a necessary and important public service.