An allegation by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, that RTE News did not seem to know what went on Wednesday at the Moriarty tribunal has been rejected by the RTE journalists covering the tribunal.
Speaking on RTE's radio programme Morning Ireland yesterday, the Minister said: "I am amused that this news organisation does not seem to know what went on in the tribunal yesterday. On Tuesday an opening statement was made by Mr John Coughlan SC, for the tribunal, and I have the transcript before me, confirming that he was anxious that accuracy should always prevail and he had no difficulty in making any correction or clarification in respect of the opening statement on Tuesday.
"I think that is very important because RTE do not seem to be making that point clear. Mr Coughlan has confirmed, and is happy to do so, that there is only one listing of Fianna Fail contributions and these are contained in the Fianna Fail official cash receipts book and it would be incorrect to suggest that there is a separate or second list of contributions." Mr Cowen said Mr Coughlan went on: "I should say that the tribunal is continuing its inquiries and in that regard is receiving the full co-operation of Fianna Fail and its lawyers."
Mr Cowen said: "RTE and a lot of other people were down there on Tuesday morning but there was no one there yesterday morning to report precisely what the tribunal was saying." On RTE's News at One yesterday, the presenter put it to one of the tribunal reporters, Annette O'Donnell, that Mr Cowen appeared to be suggesting RTE reporters, and perhaps other reporters, were missing from the tribunal, particularly on Wednesday.
Ms O'Donnell said: "Certainly not. RTE has been in attendance every day for the public sittings of this tribunal since it started sitting in January of last year. I have been here since May of last year, along with two of my colleagues, and we cover this tribunal between us. There are three of us from the newsroom alone. We cover it on a daily basis from the time Mr Justice Moriarty stands up at 10 a.m. until he usually leaves at about 4 p.m. each day."
