15 May 2012, 16:51
The Joint Committee on Communications, Natural Resources and Agriculture will tomorrow meet with senior figures in RTE and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland to discuss issues arising from the Fr Kevin Reynolds defamation case.
The meeting, which will commence at 12 noon, will be broadcast live on UPC channel 801.
Michael O’Keeffe, Chief Executive of the BAI, RTE Director General Noel Curran and Tom Savage, Chairman of the RTÉ Board, will discuss the BAI independent report into the matter. Written by former BBC executive Anna Carragher, the report pointed to the 'significant failure of editorial and managerial controls' within RTE which led to serious, damaging and untrue allegations being broadcast about Fr Reynolds.
Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee Andrew Doyle TD says: “Our Committee has an important oversight role in the general policy direction of public bodies and, as such, intends to consider the wider implications arising from the independent BAI report at tomorrow’s meeting.
“Committee Members will engage with senior figures from both the BAI and RTE to consider the implications for RTE policy in a clearheaded, comprehensive and balanced manner.
“The Committee will wish to explore with Mr Curran and Mr Savage what procedures would be introduced in general policy at RTE to ensure the appropriate structures are put in place ensure a scandal such as this will never be repeated.
“With the meetings being broadcast live on UPC Channel 801, consideration of the hugely significant issues at hand tomorrow will go beyond the Committee Rooms of Leinster House to 957,000 people in 328,000 homes.”
This meeting takes place tomorrow Wednesday 16 May at 12 noon in Committee Room 2, LH 2000. Committee proceedings will be broadcast live to UPC's digital cable customers Oireachtas channel 801 and via this link.
The report is accessible via the BAI website.
Ends
For further information and to arrange accreditation please contact:
Paul Hand,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 6949926
F: +3531 618 4551
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Committee Membership
Deputies
Tom Barry, Fine Gael
Michael Colreavy, Sinn Fein
Pat Deering, Fine Gael
Andrew Doyle, Fine Gael
Martin Ferris, Sinn Fein
Noel Harrington, Fine Gael
Martin Heydon, Fine Gael
Colm Keaveney, Labour Party
Mattie McGrath, Independent
Michael McNamara, Labour Party
Michael Moynihan, Fianna Fail
Éamon Ó Cuív, Fianna Fail
John O’Mahony, Fine Gael
Ann Phelan, Labour Party
Thomas Pringle, Independent
Senators
Michael Comiskey
Paschal Mooney
Pat O’Neill
Mary Ann O’Brien
Brian Ó Domhnaill
John Whelan