The compliance committee of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) is to appoint an investigating officer to conduct an inquiry into the RTÉ Prime Time Investigates Mission to Prey programme broadcast on May 23rd last.
The inquiry will examine whether the programme segment dealing with Fr Kevin Reynolds breached sections of the Broadcasting Act 2009, which stipulate the duty of broadcasters to ensure that the treatment of current affairs is fair, objective and impartial and that the privacy of any individual is not encroached on unreasonably.
In a brief statement this afternoon the committee said that in arriving at its decision today it took into account the legislative obligation placed on the compliance committee by the Broadcasting Act 2009 to represent the public interest in respect of broadcasting matters and the significant public concern in relation to the programme.
It also considered the request last Tuesday, November 22nd, from Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte on behalf of the Government that the compliance committee investigate the programme and the correction order issued by the High Court in relation to the programme on Thursday, November 17th, last.
It also took into consideration the acknowledgement by RTÉ that the treatment and defamation of Fr Kevin Reynolds in the programme was a grave failure of judgement.
Further details of the individual selected to undertake the investigation and the scope, terms of reference and timeline for the investigation will be published following the appointment of an investigating officer