Gallagher claims that RTE cost him the presidential election in official complaint

New row engulfs state broadcaster after 'Prime Time' priest libel

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Sean Gallagher

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“This matter is currently the subject of a complaint to the BAI and we will be dealing with it through that process, that is the only way in which it can be dealt with at this time,” he said.

The paper also reports that Gallagher has claimed in his submission that:

- RTE at all times expressly or implicitly represented to him, the audience, viewers and to the electorate that the source of the tweet was Sinn Fein

-That it was an official tweet published by the campaign of Martin McGuinness

-That Sinn Fein had organized a press conference at which the allegations already denied by Mr Gallagher would be repeated

-That Sinn Fein would produce the businessman whom it was claimed had made the allegations to McGuinness

-That Gallagher had lied to the audience, the viewers and the electorate.

The complaint also highlights that Sinn Fein disowned the tweet during the course of the live debate.

He further claims that RTE did not make any reference to the official tweet and failed to draw this information to his attention, or to the attention of McGuinness, the audience, viewers and the electorate at any time during the remaining 26 minutes of the live broadcast.

The submission says: “The dramatic presentation of the assertion that Sinn Fein had made an official statement, that it was to hold a press conference, did cause Mr Gallagher to honestly doubt his recollection which had grave personal and political consequences.

“RTE ought to have known that the fake tweet came from an account other than the official Sinn Fein account.”

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