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State broadcaster RTE suspends programme which libeled Missionary priest

Station boss admits jobs on the line pending inquiry

By
CATHAL DERVAN,
IrishCentral Staff Writer
Published Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 7:52 AM
Updated Wednesday, November 23, 2011, 1:52 PM

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RTE’s director general Noel Curran
RTE’s director general Noel Curran
Photo by RTE


Irish state broadcaster RTE has admitted that heads may roll after suspending the TV program which libeled a missionary priest to Africa.

RTE’s director general Noel Curran has taken the ‘Prime Time Investigates’ programme off the air in the wake of a massive $1.5million libel payment to Fr Kevin Reynolds.

The priest, now based in Galway, was accused by programme makers of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, making her pregnant and abandoning mother and child when he served in Kenya in the 1980s.

The Irish national broadcaster went ahead with the programme even after Fr Reynolds offered to take a paternity test to prove his innocence.

An internal review is already underway at RTE while the Irish government has ordered a complete investigation into the debacle by its Broadcasting Authority.

Ireland’s press ombudsman, Professor John Horgan, is also examining in the issues raised by the ‘Mission to Prey’ programme aired last May.

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Director general Curran, announcing the suspension of the series, admitted to the gravity of the libel and the hurt caused to Fr Reynolds and his family.

“This was one of the gravest editorial mistakes ever made by RTE,” confessed Curran.

“We have a proud record at this station but we must take this move now to restore public faith in RTE as a broadcaster.

“Recommendations as to what we do next will be brought to the RTÉ board after December 15 when Mr Horgan completes his review. I’d like to state clearly, nothing will be ruled out in those recommendations.”

A statement issued later by the station read: “No conclusion has been ruled in or out by RTE in terms of final decisions which might be taken in this matter.”

A government spokesperson confirmed that Communications Minister Pat Rabbitte had ordered an inquiry, the first since 1969, due to ‘general public disquiet over the broadcast’.

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See more: News from Ireland , Catholic Priest , Irish Catholic Church
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5 Comments

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IrelandNorth | Nov 25, 2011, 06:26 AM EST
What does "step aside" actually mean. Standard industrial relations practice for company improprieties is suspension with or without pay pending investigation. Inventing a new category of 'stepping aside' is disingenuous, and betrays a characteristic sanctimoniousness by the Montrose menage.

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stanJames | Nov 24, 2011, 09:15 PM EST
I'm of a different mindset. the church will do anything at all to protect its power. Remember the anything but "holy" inquisition?......................My guess is the church is behind these charges, paid off the people who made them.....Its the opening salvo to unravel the biggest crime of the church since it supported fascists like Mussolini, hitler, and Franco with concordants.............Sorry but we see through these tricks.

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herselfathome | Nov 24, 2011, 10:14 AM EST
My compliments to RTE in it's handling of this awkward situation.This may be the time for journalists to learn that they are accountable.They are not invincible, infallible or above the law. Jockeying for promotion within the professional seems to cause a serious drop in standards. RTE will recover from this unsavoury episode and I hope will employ only those who have the highest standards in programme production, diction, grammar and particularly radio presenting, which has reached an all time low.

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cillowen | Nov 23, 2011, 11:14 AM EST
nice due diligence - we need layers of regulators overseeing/verifying the too easy paintings of innocent souls for a buck.

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charlie50 | Nov 23, 2011, 10:18 AM EST
I think that this is a very fitting consequence that does rightly acknowledge the seriousness of the offence of defamation.

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