Complaints against a Prime Time programme for the use of the term "basket case" four times in connection with mental illness have been upheld by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission (BCC).
The commission upheld four complaints, including two about the Fair Citysoap opera, and rejected six, at its November meeting.
Two complaints were upheld against RTÉ's Prime Timeprogramme of August 30th, which examined links between cannabis use and mental health problems.
Fr Seán Cassin, chairman of the Drug Policy Action Group, said a Lancet report on cannabis and psychosis suggested that if you used cannabis you would become "a basket case". He used the expression twice.
Gráinne Kenny of Europe Against Drugs also used the term twice, but pointed out that she did not like the expression.
The BCC accepted that neither person intentionally meant to offend people with mental illness but "it was an inappropriate term to use in such a context". The BCC said "there was no editorial justification for its use. It is a colloquial term of abuse. . . and could be considered to stigmatise people with mental illness."
The commission also upheld two complaints about a scene in Fair City when a character, Orla, described her mother rattling a tray of cups and coming at her "like an epileptic". Brainwave, also known as the Irish Epilepsy Association, said it had received "numerous calls" from upset members after the scene was broadcast. The association said the term "epileptic" was "reprehensible" as the correct description was "a person with epilepsy".
RTÉ defended the scene, saying it was a humorous discussion between two friends on whether their parents had ever walked in on them when they were with their boyfriends. Orla said her mother would approach the room with a tray of tea and biscuits and shake the tray "like an early warning signal . . . but it was like an epileptic coming at you".
The BCC found that it could be considered to be a colloquial term of abuse. "Its use on this occasion was inappropriate and unjustified. The scriptwriters should have exercised greater care."
The commission rejected a complaint about a sex scene in the Sunday-night drama, The Clinic, on September 30th. The complainant said the scene between the character, Dan, and a woman he met in a bar was "shameful, disgusting and tasteless". She switched off the programme for a period, "and when she switched it on again, the same scene was being broadcast", the BCC noted.
RTÉ said both characters remained "substantially clothed and it is not clear how far their sexual activity progresses". The BCC found that the scene was "in no way explicit or gratuitous" and was justified by context.
It also rejected a complaint from a mother about comments on 2FM that were overheard by her eight-year-old daughter.
Presenter Will Leahy was reading out texts from the public about the television series, The Tudors. One text said: "Will, if you like boobs I think you should watch it." Another said it was "definitely good but an awful lot of riding in it", and a third text said "shite, shite . . .don't waste your time". The complainant said this language was inappropriate for that time of the day (late afternoon). However, the BCC said it was "highly unlikely that younger children would have understood the discussion, which was based mainly on nuance".
The BCC also rejected a complaint concerning the appearance of the former chief of staff of the British army, Gen Michael Jackson, on The Late Late Show. The complainant objected to Irish taxpayers' money being used to help him promote his book.
