The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has been urged to explain, in light of the Flood tribunal interim report, his role in the cabinet decision in 1990 to cap RTÉ's advertising.
Labour TD and former minister with responsibility for broadcasting, Mr Michael D. Higgins, said Mr Ahern and his former cabinet colleagues were either "completely conned" by the then minister Mr Ray Burke or else "knowingly complicit" in the decision. Either way, he said, the Taoiseach had a case to answer.
"The reasoning behind the cap on RTÉ, as understood by Minister Burke's colleagues at the time should now be outlined, particularly by Bertie Ahern, who was minister for finance. The least one can conclude at this stage is that he and others were naïve in 1990, and even more naïve in 1997 to accept Ray Burke as a cabinet minister," said Mr Higgins.
"If it turns out though that Ray Burke's colleagues were knowingly complicit in the effective maiming of the State broadcaster in 1990, then their suitability for office is highly questionable."
The Flood report said the cap did not serve the public interest and in proposing its introduction, Mr Burke "was acting in response to demands made of him by the promoters of Century", from whom Mr Burke received a "corrupt" payment of £35,000 in May 1989. Mr Higgins said introducing the cap would have required at least two decisions of the cabinet, first to have legislation drafted by the Attorney General's office, and second to have that legislation brought before the Dáil.
"The aide-memoire which Ray Burke presented to cabinet in 1990 must be revisited and certain questions must be asked of current Government members who sat at the cabinet table with Ray Burke 12 years ago. Perhaps some of them were aware of other reasons Mr Burke may have had for pursuing the course of action, which would not be an unreasonable assumption," Mr Higgins said.
Representatives of the RTÉ trade union group met the Minister for Communications, Mr Dermot Ahern, yesterday to discuss the proposed reform of RTÉ's financing. The group's acting secretary, Mr Dónall Ó Braonáin, said it impressed on Mr Ahern the urgency of addressing the issue.
The group called on the Minister to sanction an immediate increase in the licence fee, or another subvention, ahead of the introduction of new funding arrangements to stave off the threat of another 190 job losses. It also called for the introduction of the recommendations of the Forum on Broadcasting.
A spokesman for the Minister said Mr Ahern was aware of RTÉ's financial difficulties and he planned to bring proposals before the Cabinet by the end of the year.
