RTÉ rejects allegations of tolerance towards drug abuse

RTÉ LAST night rejected allegations that there was a tolerance of drug abuse among its workforce but acknowledged that its coverage of issues around cocaine use following Gerry Ryan’s inquest last week was “less than it could have been”.

In a separate development, the Garda launched an investigation into claims in the Sunday Independentyesterday that senior gardaí and Department of Justice officials believe corrupt gardaí have been "protecting rich and public figures with drug habits".

In a statement the Garda Press Office distanced itself from the report which it said was “without any apparent grounding in fact”. The statement said: “We have no knowledge of any senior gardaí or officials who hold such views and none of the assertions contained in the article were put to An Garda Síochána for official comment prior to publication.” It also confirmed it has begun an investigation into the source of the cocaine used by Mr Ryan.

The Garda Commissioner has tasked a senior garda to speak to journalists and the editor of the Sunday Independent and give them an opportunity to substantiate the allegations. “Gardaí can then examine whether there is any information supporting the allegations which merits further investigation,” the statement said.

Last night Sunday Independenteditor Aengus Fanning said the report was based on "exhaustive inquiries" over the past 10 days. He said the newspaper welcomed the investigation and would co-operate in every way.

In a statement, RTÉ’s head of communications Kevin Dawson said the organisation has been criticised over the past week for maintaining a silence over the issue. He said this was “largely out of respect for our late colleague and out of sympathy and respect for his family” and had nothing to do with any tolerance over illegal drug use.

Mr Dawson, meanwhile, said there was greater scope for RTÉ to have engaged in discussion about the issues raised by Mr Ryan’s inquest.

“Some have sought to interpret RTÉ’s coverage as representing a concerted silence on RTÉ’s part. This is not so and it is regrettable that it has seemed so.”