RTÉ radio presenter Gerry Ryan has been rapped by the broadcasting watchdog for encouraging sexually explicit material be aired on his mid-morning radio show.
Mr Ryan urged English comedian Julian Clary, author of a book on a homosexual prostitute, to read an extract live last July despite the writer warning of its content.
The Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC) said today that Mr Ryan failed to exercise due care over the sexually explicit and graphic story, particularly as the piece was aired during the school holidays.
RTÉ's defence was that listeners know Mr Ryan for his "risque stream of consciousness" and anybody familiar with Mr Clary would have known what to expect.
"The Commission was of the opinion that the content was totally adult material," the BCC said.
"The Commission would acknowledge that broadcasters are entitled to include sexual material in its programming.
"However, a broadcaster is obliged to exercise due care when doing so and in particular, when scheduling programme material during school holidays."
Mr Ryan was interviewing Mr Clary, known for camp performances and innuendoes, whose first book had just been published.
In the course of the discussion the comedian described what it was like to be a homosexual young man growing up in England.
Towards the end of the interview the RTÉ host asked Mr Clary to read from his novel, which had been described at the beginning of the interview as a "funny, filthy, summer read".
A listener who complained to the BCC said Mr Clary described the extract as rude, but Mr Ryan assured him it would be okay to go ahead and read it.
The piece detailed the man's time as a homosexual prostitute and detailed some of the acts he performed, Mr Ryan clapped at the end.
The listener said allowing the extract displayed a lack of taste and decency and a disregard for children who would have tuned in.
RTÉ claimed the sexual references would have been over the head of any children listening.
"The language used in the interview and in the extract from the novel were quite restrained and suitable for broadcast on RTÉ 2FM in a programme known for its handling of sexual topics," the station told the BCC.
The BCC noted Mr Clary's reservations and the fact he apologised after reading it.
It also said Mr Ryan told him it was not a problem and to go ahead and read the extract.
The Commission said the discussion prior to this had been irreverent and at times light-hearted, but the tone and language in the extract were entirely different.
"Such explicit material was not suitable for broadcast in the morning schedule," the BCC said.
"Further, the broadcast was during the school summer holiday period and therefore, there was an additional onus on the broadcaster to exercise due care under the Code of Programme Standards."
PA