THE chief executive of Radio Limerick One told the High Court yesterday that the radio station had been "hassled" by the Independent Radio and Television Commission the minute a former station employee had been appointed to it.
In cross examination by Mr Adrian Hardiman SC for the IRTC, Mr Gerard Madden denied trying to put the station beyond the authority of the IRTC by saying the decision to terminate the station's contract was prompted by bias on the part of Ms Eileen Brophy, a former employee of the station and member of the IRTC.
The action follows a breakdown in the settlement of the dispute last month.
The IRTC served notice on the station of the termination of its licence on February 16th. It alleged there had been 17 breaches of its contract under the Radio and Television Act, 1988.
On March 3rd last, Mr Justice McCracken granted an order restraining the termination of the licence pending the High Court proceedings. He also gave the radio station leave to challenge the IRTC's decision to withdraw the licence.
The station is arguing that the decision by the IRTC was unreasonable in law and was prompted by bias. Both allegations have been denied by the IRTC.
Mr Madden (38) told the court that it was an "unfortunate coincidence" that there was no tape recording of the station's news bulletin at 7 p.m. on February 17th, 1995, which edited out a report by Ms Brophy supplied by Independent Radio News.
He told the court that the station had problems carrying reports by Ms Brophy. Her reports had had to be vetted extra strongly. The station's dispute with the IRTC started the minute Ms Brophy was appointed to it, Mr Madden claimed.
Mr Hardiman pointed out that Ms Brophy had removed herself from the meeting which considered the termination of the station's licence and had not directly or indirectly urged the termination of its contract.
The case continues on Tuesday.