When the Independent Radio and Television Commission report to me, under the 1988 legislation, and RTE, under the 1960 legislation which has been revised on a number of occasions. I review the operation of the guidelines. I am happy that the provisions of the legislation in each case are adequate. When this matter was raised by way of motion in Private Members' time last February I said at column 234, Volume 438 of the Official Report:
I should also make it clear that I do not see myself as some kind of watchdog vetting every news and current affairs programme to search out possible abuses of these new freedoms. The RTE Authority and the Independent Radio and Television Commission have been established by Acts of the Oireachtas as the custodians of the airways on behalf of the nation. They have been given statutory responsibilities and duties and are autonomous in these areas. They, in their wisdom, have drawn up guidelines on the operation of the relevant legislative provisions. It is the responsibility of both organisations to monitor and ensure adherence to their guidelines. It will also be their responsibility to amend or revise them if they consider it necessary to do so in the light of experience.
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission is charged with the investigation of complaints of alleged breaches of the legislation and it is important to stress this point — the commission will investigate alleged breaches of legislation rather than guidelines. The kernel of the matter is that, in a democracy, the Government should not have to intervene in the detail of broadcast programmes, particularly news and current affairs programmes.
That is still my opinion.