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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 15 Mar 1951

Vol. 124 No. 13

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Radio Éireann News Bulletins.

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will have copies of all news bulletins broadcast by Radio Éireann made available to members of the Oireachtas.

The consistent practice over a long number of years has been not to make the scripts of broadcasting news bulletins available outside the broadcasting service. I do not see any reason for a modification of that practice.

Is the Minister aware that there has been great dissatisfaction in regard to the manner in which news items are distorted and in some cases suppressed——

That is quite a different question.

In view of this, would he give Deputies an opportunity of reviewing these bulletins, particularly in regard to the incidents at Baltinglass Post Office?

Every member of the Dáil cannot, when a bulletin has been broadcast, examine it and then proceed to analyse it with a view to setting himself up as censor as to what kind of news should or should not go over the wireless. No directions as to the news to be transmitted is given by the Minister. The news service is perfectly free and independent. If, however, Deputies have any remarks or criticism to offer, an opportunity is provided on the Estimate for Wireless Broadcasting to enable Deputies to raise the matter, but even then the matter can never be fruitfully discussed if Deputies indulge in generalities and do not specify particular complaints.

Major de Valera

Would it not meet the case if the Minister put on the file in the Dáil Library a copy of the news bulletin each day so that the information would be available to Deputies?

This matter had been considered by both the last Government and the present Government and, though they approached it from different angles, they arrived at the same conclusion. I might mention that, prior to 1927, copies of the bulletin were deposited in the Library. That practice continued for years, and so little interest was taken in them that nobody thought fit to call attention to the fact when the bulletins were no longer deposited there.

Would the Minister inquire into the news bulletin concerning the Baltinglass situation, because that is the specific complaint made by Deputy Cogan as an alternative to putting the bulletins in the Dáil Library in regard to which I see certain difficulties arising? Would he inquire specially into this specific case in order to satisfy Deputies that there was no partiality shown in giving out the news?

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