RTÉ HAS denied that staff working on Joe Duffy's Livelineradio programme received a "dressing down" from senior management following a telephone call last week from Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan.
Mr Lenihan telephoned RTÉ director general Cathal Goan last Thursday expressing concern about the programme which featured calls from listeners expressing concern about the security of their bank accounts.
"There was no question, as has been suggested in sections of the media, that there was a 'dressing down' of the Joe Duffy programme staff," said Peter Feeney, RTÉ's head of public affairs.
"We talked to them about the need, in the circumstances of a potential banking crisis, to get a range of views on the programme."
Mr Feeney said that Livelinegave a voice to ordinary people, and RTÉ had worked hard in subsequent magazine and news programmes to ensure that other views were heard. "I think that, by the end of the day, RTÉ's coverage was balanced," he added.
RTÉ and Department of Finance sources stressed that Mr Lenihan's conversation with Mr Goan was "amicable''.
Mr Lenihan made no public comment on the controversy yesterday and appeared anxious to play it down. A source close to the Minister said that he had been concerned about reports he received about the Livelineprogramme and that ill-informed comment could have a negative effect on the financial system.
He added that Mr Lenihan had a cordial conversation with Mr Goan and was happy with the outcome.
