Row breaks out over bin dispute coverage

Jailed anti-bin charge protesters Joe Higgins TD and Cllr Clare Daly are to be released from Mountyjoy Prison tomorrow morning - but already a row has sprung up over their expected television appearances.

The Dublin City Campaign against bin charges has asked journalists to be at the prison at 8.30 a.m for the expected release. However, the campaign said it is disappointed by arrangements for coverage of the dispute by RTÉ.

According to Mr Mick Barry of the Dublin Campaign the Late Late Show initially wanted Deputy Higgins and Cllr Daly on its show, on the Friday immediately after their release. Mr Barry said the campaign had also been approached by the Dunphy show, broadcast by TV 3.

"But when Clare and Joe weren't going to get out until Saturday they said they wanted others for Friday's show and we put forward two people to debate with the Minister for the Environment, Mr Cullen, and an expert adviser."

But Mr Barry maintained the arrangements changed to the point where the Minister was to be interviewed by himself, with some anti-bin charge protesters in the audience.

Cllr Ruth Coppinger who had been organising the arrangements confirmed last night that her understanding of the programme's format was that the Minister would be interviewed alone, and up to five anti-bin charge campaigners would be given audience tickets.

"It is hardly fair. It hardly gives an equal change to get our voice across. This is the country's most watched programme and the Minister is only going on on the basis that we can't debate with him on the platform," she said.

A spokesman for the Minister said last night the format for the Late Late Show was a matter for the show.