Madam, - John Cregan TD's intemperate criticism of RTÉ for its extended coverage of the Taoiseach's evidence at the Mahon tribunal is in the tradition of Fianna Fáil's bullying of the broadcaster, dating back to Charles Haughey's direct calls to the newsroom.
I will keep for another day my detailed experiences, over 30 years as a reporter and producer, of FF intimidation of RTÉ.
Instead, two questions for the of the Oireachtas Committee on Communications: Would he prefer that RTÉ did not report on such matters of potential importance as a prime minister appearing before a state inquiry into matters of monies and planning? And would he prefer that Mr Ahern should not appear before the said inquiry? Answers on a Dáil postcard please, with the stamp of the Kommittee of Kommunications. - Yours, etc,
KEVIN 0'CONNOR, Edenvale Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.
Madam, - I have to take issue with Michael J. Heary's response (March 6th) to John Cregan's criticisms of the RTÉ newsroom's fixation with the Mahon tribunal.
Mr Heary is misinformed in a number of respects, particularly in his challenge to Mr Cregan to "name his many fellow-members in the Oireachtas who see RTÉ's continued obsession with the Mahon tribunal as an issue of extreme concern." I refer Mr Heary to the official transcript of Seanad Éireann (available at www.oireachtas.ie) on March 4th, the same date as Mr Cregan's letter appeared in your paper.
Senator Eoghan Harris describes John Cregan's letter as "a very calm letter". As he is a former distinguished current affairs editor, it is worth noting his opinion that RTÉ's internal editorial committees "clearly have not been doing their duty" regarding the channel's coverage of the tribunal.
Senator Harris also makes a compelling point regarding RTÉ's obsession with the Taoiseach's evidence last month that "there is no argument to sustain that on that particular week the fairly minor affairs of St Luke's constituency office were of more importance than anything else that was happening in the country".
On the same day, Senator Ronan Mullen remarked: "I have long been concerned about the impact of the tribunals on due process.
"I do not wish to get into the substantive issues being ventilated by the tribunals at the moment, but there is a serious problem with the way some people's reputations are being treated. In that context I would welcome broadly what Mr Cregan wrote in his letter about RTÉ's coverage."
It is also worth noting that Mr Heary is dismissive of Mr Cregan's criticisms of RTÉ on the basis of his "party allegiance." For the record, both Ronan Mullen and Eoghan Harris are independent members of Seanad Éireann. - Yours, etc,
Senator TERRY LEYDEN, Government Frontbench Spokesperson on European Affairs, Seanad Éireann, Dublin 2.