asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether he is aware that there was no report broadcast on Friday night, 9th July, 1948, from Radio Éireann of the Opposition speech by the ex-Minister for Agriculture following on a lengthy report of the speech of the present Minister on the Estimate for the Department of Agriculture on Friday morning; and, if so, whether he approves of this partisan presentation of news of vital interest to the agricultural community.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Radio Éireann Broadcast.
In bulletins of strictly limited duration which must cover the main items of world as well as local news it is obviously not possible to ensure a speech by speech report of Dáil debates or a strict balancing of Government and Opposition speeches. In the circumstances, the omission of any particular statement cannot be taken as evidence of partisan presentation. I am satisfied that the news officials perform their difficult task without any bias, and so long as that is the case I do not think it right that I should interfere with their independence of action by holding investigations into what the exigencies of their work require them to include in or exclude from individual bulletins.
I should like to ask the Minister if he is aware that Deputy Smith made his speech before 2 o'clock on the day in question. There was no excuse at all why the old practice should not have been followed of giving a proper summary——
The "old practice"?
Yes, always. All the speeches made by prominent members on both sides of the House——
No evening newspaper published a line.
Is the Minister further aware that he is doing a grave injury to the reputation of Radio Éireann in the eyes of half the population of Ireland by allowing this partisan attitude to prevail?
The Minister for Agriculture made a very important speech in which the general public were interested. Naturally the report of his speech would receive a longer period than that of an Opposition member. It has been the practice in the past—I have the relevant notice here with me —that Ministers, while in occupation, would get preferential treatment.
And they always did.
They failed to give any report of the speech of the man who led the Opposition debate.
Does the Deputy press that question?
The Minister who was asked the question is quite capable of answering it himself.