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Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland
RTÉ
Pat Rabbitte: Heads should not roll at RTÉ... yet
The communications minister said an inquiry into the Fr Kevin Reynolds broadcast would establish the full facts of the case.
10.00am, 23 Nov 2011
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A STATUTORY INQUIRY into the RTÉ Prime Time programme about Fr Kevin Reynolds must establish why the show was originally broadcast, according to the Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte.
However, Rabbitte said no staff should lose their jobs until the Broadcasting Authority probe had completed its work. He said the inquiry – the first of its kind to be ordered under Section 53 of the Broadcasting Act – would protect the rights of Fr Reynolds as an Irish citizen.
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“They [the BAI] need to determine how and why such a programme was published,” the Minister said.
It’s important that the stature of RTÉ is protected, and that the rights of Kevin Reynolds are vindicated. He is a citizen of this country and the fact that he happens to be a Catholic priest does not give RTÉ or anyone else a right to traduce his reputation.
Fr Kevin Reynolds was libelled in a Prime Time Investigates programme in May 2011. RTÉ announced last night that Prime Time Investigates would be suspended until all of its sources had been fully examined.
Rabbitte also suggested that RTÉ may not have appreciated the seriousness of the situation until after the libellous programme was broadcast.
“I suspect that RTÉ had got it in the aftermath of what transpired,” Rabbitte told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland. “The questions surround why was the programme was published in the first instance, given what we have learned so far. But my impression is that the management understand the gravity of it since.”
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The usual political response – equivocate. Must be seen to be doing something but nothing too much. When it comes to state bodies and the public service an ‘outcomeless’ response is the one preferred by the establishment. Think PPARS hand washing. Only 200 million down the drain. But woe betide a private sector entity that transgresses.
There are two Irelands. One where if you have a job at all then you don’t know whether you’ll still have it next month, and another where you can funnel public money into paying for luxurious trips around the world for you and your mates, and the worst “punishment” you will get is a generous early retirement package.
I thought Rabbitte was on the money with his remarks with the exception of this one. Surely an external investigation shouldn’t stop RTE taking their own disciplinary action? Though, I’d imagine if somebody was fired or resigned from RTE before or during the external review they would probably wouldn’t be disposed or obliged to cooperate with the enquiry.
One of the questions RTE can or should reveal immediately if the settlement is being paid for by insurance or effectively by the licence payer.
It will be interesting if Reynolds pushes for identification of the person who started this story and he should do.
Never mind RTE.Heads should roll in the government. Big fat lying incompetent ones. Which is practically all of the useless articles that so many had hopes and belief in last February.
There were none! The case was settled so there was no case and therefore no ‘findings’. The various apologies on-air and in print were the result of the negotiated settlement which was between the two parties.
The old adage of the law ‘Justice being seen to be done’ gets another kick in the goolies while the erstwhile bewigged council do a bit of horsetrading on the lawn and the court approves the settlement.
Does that work when your up for your TV licence as well?
The only question rabbid should ask is who’s responsible and where are the letters of resignation.
Spend more public money on an enquiry? No this has cost enough already in legal fees and a settlement there’s no need for any more tax payer money to be wasted on this.
The really kick in the bollo is the Irish tax payer paying a settlement to a priest. ( I’m not saying he didn’t deserve it but that this could happen is my problem)
This has nothing to do with the tax payer. It has everything to do with the licence payer. Plus it doesn’t matter if the subject of the programme was a priest or a person of any other walk of life. The same standards apply no matter what the alleged crime is.
So far as I understand the enquiry comes out of the BAI budget. However, the necessity to do this and the court case settlement means that the BAI budget and the licence payers money (if the settlement is not covered by insurance) is being unnecessarily spent.
The BAI is funded by a levy on broadcasters – not sure what if any of their operating budget comes from the tax payer.
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