RTÉ learning some valuable lessons

AS RTÉ eventually appears to be learning lessons about what they see as their right to publish what they like about a citizen, they are still using the oldest trick used by the media – “an anonymous source” or “a reliable source” or “other sources” — to justify their allegations of child sex abuse against Br Dillon now deceased in South Africa.

According to the Irish Examiner of November 23, a spokesperson for RTÉ said that “a number of other former pupils of Br Dillon now living in other countries have, independently of each other and voluntarily, made allegations of suffering abuse by Br Dillon” and that these accounts were “corroborated by others”. Yet, the alleged abused person featured in the disgraced Prime Time Investigates programme has apparently declined to even meet the Christian Brothers to discuss his alleged abuse.

Thankfully, this government has had the courage to instigate an independent enquiry into the Fr Kevin Reynolds case.