The reported payment of compensation to members of the Iona Institute by RTÉ led to calls in the Seanad yesterday for Minister for Communications Pat Rabbitte to reveal the details.
Complaints were made following an interview with performer Rory O'Neill, also known as drag queen Panti Bliss, on the Saturday Night Show.
Averil Power (FF) said it was incumbent on the Minister to come into the House and advise members on what was paid and whether other remedies, such as a right to reply, were offered to the organisation.
"Did RTÉ give serious consideration to arguing the defence of honest opinion in any threatened defamation action?'' Ms Power asked. "I also wish to give the Minister the opportunity to outline to the House whether he believes RTÉ acted appropriately, given its responsibility as a public service broadcaster, to ensure balanced debate on issues of public importance.''
She said recent media revelations about the payment set a dangerous precedent ahead of the referendum on marriage equality promised by the Government.
“The motivation of the Iona Institute in bringing the case is clear,’’ said Ms Power. “It is afraid of the referendum and the fact that at the Constitutional Convention, where people heard both sides of the debate over two days, 80 per cent of those involved voted in favour of equality.’’
She added that “they voted to put behind the prejudices and discrimination of the past and to ensure all Irish citizens would be treated fairly’’.
Jim Walsh (FF) said he supported Ms Power's request that the Minister attend the House, adding that it was totally unacceptable that defamatory comments were not challenged by the presenter.
Ivana Bacik (Lab) said there had been no ruling on the nature of the comments, adding that it was a matter of view, not an established view.
Mr Walsh said the programme was available online and could be accessed. “Senator Power, Bacik and others will be aware of the hate campaign on Twitter at present,’’ he added. He said he wanted to “condemn the hate mail going to an organisation that has recently suffered a very tragic event as the result of the death of one of its senior members of staff’’.
Mr Walsh said the Iona Institute was now getting emails telling people there to kill themselves. He said it had never been in any way homophobic. RTÉ had failed once again to meet the threshold of being balanced, Mr Walsh added.
