A new tyranny - BAI balance ruling criticised

Government Minister Aodhán Ó Ríordáin is to be congratulated for his criticism of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) over their diktat on how proposals on extending marriage rights to same-sex couples might be discussed on radio.

Rulings have been made against two programmes — RTÉ’s Derek Mooney Show and Newstalk Breakfast — that they were not balanced because opponents to changes in the Constitution, which will be the subject of a referendum later this year, did not participate in the discussions.

If the logic of this veto is followed through it would allow opponents of the amendment to muzzle any discussion of the issues by doing no more than refusing to participate. The ruling makes a mockery of the idea of free speech and is political correctness turned into tyranny.

The BAI may be doing no more than enforcing the rules it is obliged to honour but if that is the case the rules must be changed immediately to end this entirely unacceptable veto on reasonable public debate. Enough!