Sir, – It seems extraordinary that a report of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland into the unprofessional conduct of RTÉ in its treatment of Fr Kevin Reynolds in Mission to Prey should not include evidence from either the defamed person or his solicitor. It is even more extraordinary that, though RTÉ has a copy of the inquiry report, and have already been able to launch its professional and powerful PR campaign to assuage some of the odium, neither Fr Reynolds or his solicitor have had sight of it as of Wednesday, April 4th, as I write this.
I understand from your Breaking News report the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland commissioned former BBC Northern Ireland controller Anna Carragher to carry out an investigation on its behalf and has accepted the findings and passed them to RTÉ. Where is the transparency we were promised by the Kenny government?
Whatever the findings are, it is shameful that the organisation, guilty of such a crass series of errors, should be given such information before the person so unjustly subjected to the trauma.
I understand the slogan “Fewer but Truer” may be the new battle cry of the Catholic Church. There are undoubtedly those who will feel the first victory has been won.
But perhaps RTÉ should note that such a slogan might apply to the licence fee as well. – Yours, etc,