I wish to point out that on last Sunday, at mid-day, there was a comprehensive and, it seemed to me, a responsible radio news programme on the current situation in Northern Ireland, more particularly, on an aspect of the current situation in Northern Ireland, namely, the activities of a small group of Irish people in certain parts of Northern Ireland, particularly Belfast, who resort to physical acts of violence in Northern Ireland. Such a programme was prepared by Mr. Liam Hourigan of RTE, Belfast. I am sure the House will admit that his objective and succinct reportage of events in Northern Ireland in the last 12 months has been an outstanding feature of the RTE news programmes and general reportage. This particular programme was a serious and valuable contribution and was an essential matter of public communication and public education. It exposed the philosophy, the attitude, the strategy and the violent tactics employed by a small, para-military, physical force in Northern Ireland known as the Provisionals.
Lest there be any confusion about my attitude, let me state that I do not welcome contributions from any anonymous spokesman from an illegal or any other organisation, and I am sure this view is shared by most people. I have always had little respect for those who lack the moral courage to give their names in a public communications medium and I do not hold in high esteem those who defend their views or acts behind cloaks of secrecy, fear, or any romanticised guerrilla-style policy.
Nevertheless, such people exist and I submit that RTE and the reporting staff have every right and responsibility to present programmes on such matters without being subjected to political intimidation by the Taoiseach, as apparently happened. They should not be subjected to intimidation by the political head of the Department, through his senior civil servant, the secretary of the Department. Neither should they be subjected to political intimidation when the Minister for Justice again decides "to do his thing"—as he did when asked to appear on the programme.
I can understand the repugnance of anyone in any part of the country towards the attitude of the Provisionals, that the acceptance of their political opinions depends on their imposing by means of the bomb, the gun or the booby-trap, their views on more than one million people in Northern Ireland. The Labour Party hold no brief for such groups or activities and we made that abundantly clear in our contribution to the programme last Sunday, through the official spokesman of the party, Deputy Cruise-O'Brien.
Despite the deplorable absence of a Government spokesman on the programme, there was an adult discussion on a major topic of national interest. The Irish people, north and south, had the harsh situation and the harsh alternatives presented to them. On that programme there were effective, coherent and courageous contributions, particularly from John Hume, MP. There was a complete rejection, on a clear and intellectual basis, of the philosophy, the strategy and the hopes of those who style themselves the Provisionals.
This is what public communication is about. I charge the Government with attempting to interfere with the expression of opinions last Sunday. Deputy Cruise-O'Brien exposed the contradictions in the actions of the Provisionals, for example, the rather Alice in Wonderland possibility of a fascist pact with Ian Paisley. Does anyone deny that this programme was not in the public interest and was an adult contribution towards politics and their development in this country?
Unfortunately, there was a brazen and gross interference with the functions of RTE. There was a deliberate attempt by the Government to interfere and to dictate to the Director General and to the news staff of RTE regarding the people they should have on the programme, whom they should not have on the programme and how the programme should be arranged. There was an insensitive attempt to interfere with the freedom of the press. The fact that the Government, and the Opposition parties particularly, do not approve of illegal organisations cannot be used as an excuse. If this were the excuse one could point out that the Government are fully aware that statements by illegal organisations are made ad nauseam and are published by the daily papers. The Government are aware that groups assemble, parade, and carry arms throughout the Republic as the occasion demands. Yet, the Government decide that RTE should be singled out and that section 31 of the Act should be invoked. The Government did not have the moral courage to invoke it in writing directly to RTE. Instead, there was the dreadful necessity of questions having to be put down in the Dáil; that the Taoiseach should have to say that he had been on to RTE and that he did not want this programme to be presented.
I respect the right of any Minister or party spokesman not to appear on a programme; it is his privilege to refuse. I do not accept that it should be carried further than that. That would mean that if a Minister were called on to make a statement on a programme and if he decided not to appear on the programme he would be free to contact the Taoiseach or the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs and put pressure on RTE. I contrast the attitude of the Minister for Justice with that of Mr. John Taylor, who did not seem to have many inhibitions. Even though I disagree with everything Mr. Taylor says, I admit that he had no hesitation in commenting extensively.
In regard to the highly selective attitude of the Taoiseach in this matter, may I say to him that if he were to say the same thing to the editor of the Cork Examiner he would find himself in difficulty in trying to defend himself in his own constituency. A grave responsibility rests on our communications media to present events in Northern Ireland in a balanced and relevant manner. It is the responsibility of the news media to assess the situation objectively. It is not the responsibility of this House to be judge and jury of the manner in which that responsibility is carried out. We are not entitled to interfere.
I submit RTE correctly discharged its responsibility on this occasion and I am pleased to note that the Director General was not prepared to scrap the programme simply because it did not suit the sensitivities of the Minister for Justice, Deputy O'Malley. It is a matter of profound regret that no public statement was issued by the Taoiseach or the Minister until questions were tabled here and the information squeezed out of them. We still do not know what the reaction of the RTE Authority was. Since the programme went ahead presumably governmental intervention was not successful. I deplore seeing a Government act in this fashion, calling into question the freedom of the communications media to report events within their competence.
