Ireland’s Prime Minister Enda Kenny wants high journalistic standards restored at RTE, Ireland’s National Broadcaster, after its ‘Prime Time Investigates’ current affairs programme made false allegations against Irish Mill Hill priest, Fr Kevin Reynolds.
RTE accused Reynolds of fathering a child with a minor while working as a missionary in Africa.
Ireland’s Communications Minister, Pat Rabbitte noted the considerable concern and disquiet about the liable case involving Fr Reynolds, and described the issues surrounding RTE’s defamation as ‘very grave’.
RTE has paid an substantial out of court settlement to Reynolds and an independent inquiry has been launched.
In the meantime, the managing director of RTE news and current affairs, Ed Mulhall, and the editor of the Prime Time Investigates programme, Ken O’Shea, have stepped aside from their posts and reporter Aoife Kavanagh and executive producer Brian Pairceir will not be involved in any on-air programming until the inquiry is completed.
The inquiry, which has two months to make its report, will have the power to compel witnesses to attend and to provide all records relevant to the making of the programme.
RTE’s director general, Noel Curran, yesterday announced ‘Prime Time Investigates’ will be suspended for the rest of the year. He also failed to rule out the possibility of resignations over what he called “one of the gravest editorial mistakes ever made” by the national broadcaster.
Sources