RTÉ faces €200,000 fine over priest libel

A FINE of about €200,000 is believed to have been imposed on RTÉ for breaches of fairness in the Prime Time Investigates programme that libelled Fr Kevin Reynolds.

Informed sources say the draft fine recommended by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland is close to the €250,000 maximum allowed under legislation. One source told The Irish Times that it was substantial, while another described it as “circa €200,000”.

It is understood that there was disagreement on the board of the authority over the level of fine, before a majority decision was reached in favour of the imposition of a penalty at the upper end of the range allowed.

The report commissioned by the authority has found that the Mission to Prey programme broadcast last May was unfair to Fr Reynolds. Sources say the report, which was received by RTÉ last Thursday, “pulls no punches” in its criticism of the way the programme was made.

Former BBC Northern Ireland executive Anna Carragher compiled the report for the authority’s compliance committee. The document and the proposed fine are draft, pending a response from RTÉ. It has 14 days to respond and can, if it wishes, appeal the decision to the authority or bring a case to the High Court.

In a covering letter sent with the report, the authority also recommends that the broadcaster provide copies of the report to the makers of the programme and the managers involved so that they have a chance to respond.

A spokesman for RTÉ said last night this would be done.

The programme falsely claimed that Fr Reynolds sexually abused a young girl and fathered her child while a missionary in Kenya. The priest, whose offer prior to broadcast to take a paternity test was not taken up by the programme-makers, won a big libel payout believed to be near €1 million from RTÉ.

The broadcaster did not contest the issues of fairness and breach of privacy. But it argued that communications difficulties arose that resulted in the offer of the paternity test not being taken up.