JOINT COMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES debate -
Wednesday, 25 Mar 2009

Business of Joint Committee.

Deputy Michael D’Arcy

In light of the financial difficulties faced by RTE it would be appropriate that we invite it to come before the committee to give a clear indication of where it stands and what are its plans. At one stage it was mentioned that it was tens of millions of euro short due to falling revenue.

If RTE takes us up on the invitation I would like the person who made the editorial decision with regard to the story on the "Nine O'Clock News" on the anonymous portraits of the Taoiseach to come in and justify it. I do not want senior management to come in to defend an indefensible position. It was the most distasteful piece I have seen on RTE news in years. It is a public service provider and should meet certain standards. I thought it crossed the line of bad taste.

Chairman

I agree with the Deputy on the second issue he raised. I saw the item in question and I thought it was appalling and in very poor taste. The editor who allowed this item to go on the national airwaves must have serious questions to answer. With regard to inviting in RTE to discuss its budgetary situation we will take it up with the organisation and I will come back to the Deputy.

Deputy Noel J. Coonan

Apart from the artistic points raised, will the members of the RTE delegation be asked why they believe this committee should be abolished?

Chairman

Will I allow them to do so?

Deputy Noel J. Coonan

Will an item be put on the agenda to ask RTE to explain why it believes this committee should be abolished? The same question should be asked with regard to the Seanad.

Chairman

Yes, we can put that on the agenda.

Deputy Noel J. Coonan

The presenter of "The Late Late Show" seemed to indicate that this committee was useless and therefore should be abandoned.

Chairman

We will invite RTE to come before the committee and the Deputy can ask the question.

Senator Maria Corrigan

I agree with everything stated, particularly with regard to the item that appeared on the news. If the Chairman is setting out an agenda for a meeting with RTE can it include an opportunity for RTE to explain what are its procedures for determining balance when a programme is planned and getting ready to be aired? Is a procedure in place for a review to take place on whether balance was achieved and fair broadcasting took place?

Chairman

These are issues that we can discuss when RTE comes before the committee. It is our national broadcaster and this is the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Communications, Energy and Natural Resources. It has an obligation to explain itself in light of what has happened recently.

The joint committee adjourned at 11.10 a.m. until 9.45 a.m. on Wednesday, 1 April 2009.