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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 18 Nov 1969

Vol. 242 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - RTE News Coverage.

1.

asked the Taoiseach whether in the latter part of April or in May of this year he received from a reputable journalist employed by the news division of RTE a copy of a letter sent by that journalist to the Director-General of RTE regarding news coverage relating to the situation in Northern Ireland; and, if so, what action he took in the matter.

I received a copy of a letter, conforming to the description given by the Deputy, which I acknowledged. Even if it had been possible to interpret the sender's covering letter to me as a request to take some specific action on the letter in question, I would not have regarded the matter as one justifying action by me in relation to the Radio Telefís Éireann Authority.

Does the Taoiseach not feel, in the light of the events since the end of April, that a very valuable warning was, in fact, contained in that letter and now, with the benefit of hindsight, does he not agree it would have been desirable then for him to act and would he consider acting now in the direction the letter urges?

I did not think it was necessary for me to act. It was a matter for the news staff—editors and so forth—to decide the juxtaposition of news items. On a previous occasion when a Minister sought to have the juxtaposition of news items altered objection was taken to that course. Is the Deputy suggesting I should do now that which was complained about before?

May we interpret that reply as an assurance that, in future, Ministers will not interfere with regard to news?

Ministers do not interfere. This suggestion was bandied about long before Deputy Dr. O'Brien came into this House. It simply is not true.

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