RTÉ says God sketch ‘did not comply’ with its standards

State broadcaster RTÉ has said a controversial sketch about God it ran as part of the station’s New Year’s Eve countdown show “did not comply” with its own standards and broader regulations.

In a statement, the broadcaster said: “It is RTÉ’s view that satire is an important part of the offering to our audience. However, satire, no more than any other aspect of our output, must adhere to our own standards and the standards set out in the Broadcasting Act 2009 and the BAI Codes.”

The Waterford Whisper News skit sparked numerous complaints after the former newsreader Aengus Mac Grianna read out a mock bulletin stating that God had been arrested on charges of sexual harassment for “forcing himself on a young Middle Eastern migrant and allegedly impregnating her against her will”.

Both RTÉ and Mac Grianna later apologised for the sketch.

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The RTÉ editorial standards board found that the sketch did not comply with several provisions, including Section 39 (1) (d) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 and the the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) Code of Programme Standards in relation to material that causes “undue offence”.

The board said the sketch also did not comply with Principle 5 in the BAI Code - Respect for Persons and Groups in Society - regarding “due respect” for religious beliefs.

The board also found the sketch did not comply with the provision in the RTÉ journalism and content guidelines regarding sensitivity to people’s religious beliefs.

After consideration of the findings, RTÉ said it had made a series of decisions. including that it will make a voluntary disclosure of non-compliance to the BAI and engage with the authority in the process.

It will request the editorial standards board to review the processes involved in the broadcast and report on same; remove the sketch from the RTÉ Player; and carry a public statement and apology, with due prominence, acknowledging this sketch did not meet the standards expected of the national broadcaster.

Dee Forbes, the director general of RTÉ said today: “We accept the findings of the Editorial Standards Board that this sketch was not compliant with our own guidelines or with our obligations under the relevant codes. On behalf of RTÉ, I fully apologise for that. We will now review the processes involved and engage constructively with the BAI.”