Senators seek earlier slot on RTÉ schedule

SENATORS TOLD RTÉ executives they would be prepared to change the time of the order of business in the Seanad to get television coverage, during an Oireachtas committee meeting yesterday.

Members of the administration committee also appealed for RTÉ’s late-night political programme, Oireachtas Report, to be broadcast in an earlier time slot.

Among those suggesting the Seanad’s order of business could take place at a different time to suit the RTÉ schedule was Independent Senator Joe O’Toole. “It’s fresh, it’s topical, it’s newsy, it moves quickly,” he said.

Managing editor of RTÉ news Cillian de Paor said the suggestion was an “interesting proposal” and he said he would report back to the committee on the issue.

Referring to Oireachtas Report, Mr de Paor said he was not denying the programme was broadcast late at night, but said it would be unrealistic for him to promise it could be moved to an earlier slot.

“‘Desperate Housewives has a bigger audience, I’m afraid,” he said. However, Mr de Paor insisted RTÉ was not “obsessed” with ratings.

Fine Gael TD David Stanton asked if there was anything TDs and Senators could do to make proceedings in the Oireachtas more interesting for viewers. He asked if the practice of reading from scripts in the chambers made for “boring” television. Mr de Paor confirmed that this was the case.

Green TD Mary White expressed concern that the Dáil chamber was often shown on television “when there’s hardly anybody in there”. She contrasted this to broadcasts featuring the British parliament, which she said appeared more vibrant.

She appealed to the RTÉ delegation to “give a better view of the chamber”. This was not for the benefit of “our little egos”, she insisted, but to show the national parliament at its best advantage to the public.

Michael Conway, who runs RTÉ’s Oireachtas unit, suggested consideration be given to moving certain proceedings from the Dáil chamber to smaller committee rooms.

That would “get rid of those wide open spaces pictures that irritate a lot of Deputies”, Mr Conway said. He said 166 seats were not needed “if you’re teasing out a Bill”.

The RTÉ delegation was not asked about the recent resignation of RTÉ’s former economics editor George Lee from the Dáil and apparent imminent return to the State broadcaster.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr de Paor said that Mr Lee had expressed an intention to come back to RTÉ in May when his leave of absence had expired.

He said “no conversation” had taken place about where in RTÉ Mr Lee might work.