A FORMER Fianna Fáil minister has made an outspoken attack on RTÉ, describing it as left-wing and accusing it of anti-Government bias. Noel Treacy, a TD for Galway East, yesterday questioned if the broadcaster was adequately serving the people of Ireland.
"As far as I am concerned, RTÉ is a left-wing organisation that has not committed itself to enunciating and promoting policies laid down by Government or Parliament," he said.
"Following the recent Budget . . . RTÉ had all left-wing commentators on programmes without any balance. Audiences were loaded against Government representatives."
However, Opposition deputies and senior personnel reacted with bemusement to Mr Treacy's Dáil outburst. One RTÉ source said it was very hard to believe that the broadcaster packed its coverage with left-wing commentators.
The source added that it was fanciful to describe commentators, such as economists Jim Power or Colm McCarthy, as left-wing.
Labour whip Emmet Stagg responded in the Dáil by saying that the idea that RTÉ was a left-wing organisation was "crazy".
An RTÉ spokesman said Mr Treacy was entitled to his opinion.
