Libel case prompts review of RTÉ's editorial process

PRESS OMBUDSMAN Prof John Horgan is to carry out an independent review of RTÉ’s editorial process arising out of the Fr Kevin Reynolds libel case.

The announcement was made to staff yesterday afternoon and in advance of the High Court libel action involving Fr Reynolds and RTÉ which is due to be held today.

A Prime Time Investigatesprogramme in May accused Fr Reynolds, a Mill Hill missionary, of having sex with a minor while working as a priest in Kenya and fathering a child by her.

His offer to take a paternity test was turned down by the makers of the programme.

A subsequent paternity test taken after the broadcast revealed he was not the father of the child.

Prof Horgan’s role will be to review RTÉ’s editorial procedures to prevent such a libel in future.

He will not be making recommendations in relation to any disciplinary proceedings.

In a letter to the members of the Ombudsman Commission, Prof Horgan said he had been approached by RTÉ director general Noel Curran and was carrying out the review, subject to commission approval, and without payment. Prof Horgan will present his recommendations to the RTÉ board and it is intended that those recommendations will be published.

RTÉ has already broadcast a lengthy apology arising out of the programme which aired on May 23rd this year.

The apology recognised that the item should never have gone to air.

The apology was repeated recently by Mr Curran at a lecture in Dublin City University in which he said the broadcaster had to be open and honest when it got things wrong.

He added: “We must learn what we can from such mistakes and make changes if necessary and we will. That is part of being accountable and essential to public trust and public support.”

As a result of its broadcast, Fr Reynolds, a parish priest of Ahascragh, Co Galway, was forced to leave his parish and his home.

He subsequently took a libel action.

The apology, which was broadcast in October, said he had an “unblemished 40-year career in the priesthood” and had made a “valuable contribution to society in Kenya and Ireland both in education and in ministry”.