asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he or his Department intervened in any way to have a "7 Days" programme dealing with the judiciary cancelled or modified; and if he will make a statement outlining the Government's attitude towards advising RTE with regard to programme content.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - RTE Programme.
56.
The answer to the first part of the question is "No". As regards the second part, the Broadcasting Authority Acts, 1960 to 1971, give the RTE Authority complete freedom regarding programme content, subject to special obligations imposed by sections 17 and 18 of the Act of 1960. These obligations concern the restoration of the Irish language, the preservation and development of the national culture and the need for objectivity and impartiality in news and current affairs programmes.
Under section 31 of the Act of 1960 the Minister may direct the authority in writing to refrain from broadcasting any particular matter or matter of any particular class and to allocate broadcasting time for any announcements by or on behalf of any Minister of State in connection with the functions of that Minister of State. Only one directive has been given under this section and the Deputy is aware of the terms of that directive and the reason for it.
It is not the practice of the Government to intervene in programme matters. The Minister has general responsibilities in regard to broadcasting and he is free to—and may indeed at times have an obligation to—express views to RTE regarding programmes already broadcast or due to be broadcast. Any other Minister or Deputy, or any citizen, can also express their views to RTE. Except in the case of matters covered by the directive already mentioned, the authority are of course quite free to decide what weight should be attached to any representations about programmes, irrespective of who makes them.
Could I take it that it would not be usual for the Minister to phone the RTE Authority or the directors of programmes to tell them that he disapproves of certain programmes or the personnel on them? Could I take it he would not do that?
I am trying to figure out whether or not the Deputy is making allegations against me.
I think he is.
I am presuming he is and the answer to his question is "No".
Has the Minister discussed verbally with these people the contents of certain "7 Days" programmes, without putting anything in writing?
I have already answered that question. The answer to it was "No".
Have any representations to the Minister's knowledge been made by the Department of Justice to RTE?
That is a separate question. That does not arise.
If the Deputy wants to find out what the Department of Justice are doing he can do that in the normal way.
Is the Minister aware of the fact that a programme prepared on the question of judicial appointments, the question of an independent system of public prosecutions in the State was scrapped? There has been some disquiet about the fact that a programme prepared internally in RTE, and on which a great deal of work was done in its preparation, should be put in the ash bin by a deliberate decision internally in RTE. Naturally people wonder why.
It is no wonder that people begin to wonder when they have to hear statements such as the one just made by Deputy Desmond. Again, I would like to assure the House that nobody intervened in any way whatsoever with the "7 Days" programme referred to in Deputy O'Connell's question.
Somebody may have taken fright in RTE.