asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he has received representations from the National Union of Journalists on the subject of news reporting in RTE.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - RTE News Reporting.
48.
I have received communications from both the Dublin Radio Branch and the Irish Area Council of the National Union of Journalists. It is clear to me from these communications that the National Union of Journalists are under a serious misapprehension as to the scope of the responsibilities of their members who are employed by RTE on the preparation of news bulletins. The RTE Authority is statutorily responsible for the conduct of the national broadcasting service as a whole, and is specifically required to ensure that its broadcasts of news or of features concerned with matters of public controversy are presented objectively and impartially. It follows that the responsibility for such broadcasts rests with the Authority and not with the journalists employed by it, and I understand that the Authority is taking steps to make the position clear to these employees so as to remove any grounds of future misunderstanding.
Mr. O'Leary
Is the Minister aware of the integrity of journalists? That is the principle involved here.
We are.
No supplementary from the person who put down the question?
I take it the House is agreeable to take the remaining questions now? There will be no questions on tomorrow's Order Paper.