THE film maker Mr Bob Quinn, who was nominated to the RTE Authority in June 1995, has been dropped from a panel set up to interview candidates for the post of Director General at the station.
It is understood he was removed on November 8th by the Authority chairman, Prof Farrel Corcoran, the day after he had been critical of RTE on the Tonight with Vincent Browne programme on Radio 1.
Speaking on that programme, Mr Quinn had said he was "ashamed of RTE". Last night he refused to comment beyond confirming he had been dropped from the interview panel. Prof Corcoran did not wish to comment on the matter either, as he is trying to keep the interview process as clean, credible, and confidential as possible".
Besides Prof Corcoran and Mr Quinn, the original interview panel also consisted of accountant Ms Anne Haslam from Birr, Co Offaly; Ms Anne Tannahill, managing director of Blackstaff Press in Belfast; and Mr Des Geraghty, the former Democratic Left MEP and national group secretary of SIPTU. It is understood that Mr Quinn's position on the panel has been taken by Dr Garret FitzGerald. The November 7th edition of Tonight with Vincent Browne included a discussion on programming at RTE. It is understood that producers on the programme had hoped to involve former heads of the RTE Authority, but none contacted would agree to take part. On the night, the discussion panel included the Irish Times television critic Mr Eddie Holt, thee Irish Independent television critic Mr John Boland, a former RTE Authority member Ms Mary Leland, as well as the playwright and theatre/film director, Mr Gerry Stembridge.
Mr Quinn had been contacted about another item and rang in during the programme, to be put through on air, inadvertently. He was introduced by Mr Browne as "a member of the RTE Authority". Mr Quinn pointed out he was not speaking as a member of the authority, that he was speaking in a personal capacity and had been contacted by the programme in connection with another matter.
Asked by Mr Browne about applications for the Director General post he said there was a lot of interest in it. Mr Browne said last night he knew "nothing about anything to do with Bob Quinn" ,arising from the programme.
Mr Boland remembers Mr Quinn as being "very cagey, incredibly mild, almost status quo, man" in his remarks. What he had to say was "quite unexceptional, not the sort of firebrand stuff normally expected from Bob Quinn," he recalled.
Mr Quinn worked as a producer/director at RTE until 1969, when he resigned along with Ms Lelia Doolan. They co wrote a book, Sit Dawn and Be Counted, which was critical of RTE. Ms Doolan has since been appointed head of the Irish Film Board by the Minister for Arts, Culture, and the Gaeltacht, Mr Higgins. Mr Higgins also appointed the present RTE Authority, including Mr Quinn.
The present RTE Director General, Mr Joe Barry, retires next April. Interviews for his replacement take place this week.
