No role for Dunphy on RTE panel today

The broadcaster and journalist Eamon Dunphy met senior RTÉ executives at his home last night to decide whether he would take any further part in the station's World Cup coverage.

An RTÉ statement last night said he would not be part of its World Cup panel today.

Dunphy was suspended by the station on Sunday after it found he was "not fit to fulfil his contractual duties".

He later acknowledged he had had a few drinks the night before and had not slept.

Earlier yesterday Dunphy told this newspaper that he felt his days as a World Cup commentator were "probably over".

He had felt the strain of public opprobrium after his comments that he would be supporting Cameroon in that country's match against the Republic.

But he said the worst part of the criticism was "the effect on my family".

Dunphy's current routine includes rising at 5 a.m. as he works to meet a deadline for his forthcoming book, an autobiography of Roy Keane.

Following his suspension from the RTÉ panel of commentators on Sunday Dunphy apologised to the station and appeared to accept its decision.

Asked if he would be back on the panel after his suspension was lifted, he said he did not see himself as part of RTÉ's future coverage of the 2002 World Cup.

He said the current championship was "probably my last World Cup", and added that it had been "a trying few days".

He felt RTÉ was "attempting to judge the reaction" before speaking to him last night, but he maintained that whatever the outcome of the negotiations he would "probably not" be part of the station's coverage of future matches.

It would be "a lot less trouble for the station", he said, if he stayed at home "with a glass of wine and watched it on television".

Dunphy, who has a history of convictions for driving offences going back more than a decade was charged with a drink-driving offence last year and had his case adjourned in November to await the outcome of a separate and unconnected challenge to the State's new breath-testing equipment.

However, Mayo GP and former member of the RTÉ Authority, Dr Michael Loftus, said RTÉ should have spelt out the exact reason it had suspended Mr Dunphy from its panel of commentators.

Dr Loftus, a founder of the Dotháin (Enough) organisation, which aims to promote moderation, said Dunphy was "a bad role model for the thousands of young people who watch RTÉ's World Cup coverage".