asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state on what basis the order of priority of matters given in Radio Éireann news bulletins is decided; whether instructions have been given that all speeches by Ministers, no matter how trivial or unimportant, are to be mentioned in the headings to the bulletins and given priority in the news; and if such instructions have not been given, why this practice is invariably followed by Radio Éireann.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Radio Éireann News Bulletins.
20.
Priority in Radio Éireann bulletins is based on what the News Editor considers to be the order of news value to the general public taking into account whether a particular item has been broadcast in earlier bulletins. No instructions have been given as to what items are to be mentioned in the news headings or given priority and it is not the invariable practice of Radio Éireann to mention all Ministers' speeches in the headings and give them priority.
21.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs with reference to his statement on the 16th April that it was not the policy of Radio Éireann to publish in its news bulletins replies by Ministers to statements published in newspapers but not given by Radio Éireann, why Radio Éireann has published in recent months such replies by the Minister for Local Government, the Minister for Health and the Minister for Agriculture.
What I indicated in my previous reply was that the broadcasting of replies on behalf of Ministers to press reports on controversial matters had not been adopted by Radio Éireann as a policy. If such replies have occasionally been broadcast it was simply because the News Editor considered them on their merits to be of general news value. I have already given my view that the broadcasting of statements and replies on controversial matters should be kept to a minimum.
Since this question was tabled, the Taoiseach has added his contribution to the list of Ministers mentioned in the question and has used Radio Éireann to reply to questions that are put in this House. Would the Minister not agree that it is completely unsatisfactory to have the national radio network used by the Government to make statements in reply to questions which were not raised on the radio, which were raised in other places and at other times, and that it is completely contrary to the previous practice in relation to the operations of Radio Éireann to have such a course now being adopted?
I think every decent person will agree that when a Deputy uses the privileges of this House to disseminate deliberately false slanders affecting the character of people who are not in a position to defend themselves, it is desirable that those falsehoods should be refuted in the most effective manner possible.
What is this about?
I do not think "deliberate falsehoods" should be ascribed to any Deputy. That characterisation should be withdrawn.
I cannot think of any other way to describe——
Withdraw.
No such characterisation of a Deputy's statement as "deliberate falsehoods" is allowed in this House. The Minister should withdraw it.
I do not remember saying "deliberate falsehoods."
The Minister used those words just now—"deliberate falsehoods."
Deliberate untruths.
No. That is the same thing.
Try again.
Well, untrue statements——
Very well, I will accept that.
——affecting the characters of people who are not in a position to defend themselves.
May I say how grateful I am to the Minister for Defence for having let the cat so well out of the bag? In the reply he read a moment ago he said that it was the News Editor of Radio Éireann who controlled all such matters. He has now made a statement which clearly indicates, as we have asserted, that what has been occurring is of a political nature. That has been completely endorsed by what the Minister has said.
Apparently, the News Editor considered it desirable that untrue statements should be contradicted.
Are we to take it——
Question No. 22.