Sir, - Last Friday's Late Late Show displayed appalling bias. Rather than have a panel discussion on racism, the programme featured Aine Ni Chonaill as a guest, with speakers opposed to her views confined to the audience. Ms Ni Chonaill had the opportunity to give an initial statement and was subsequently given the chance to reply to those speakers in the audience who were opposed to her. Hence, Ms Ni Chonaill's views were given far more time on the programme than those of any other individual.
Furthermore, Gay Byrne defended Ms Ni Chonaill's views against audience comments and offered criticism of the Anti-Fascist Action group for protesting at her organisation's meeting in Ennis.
Ms Ni Chonaill and Mr Byrne made much of the fact that Ms Ni Chonaill's organisation was opposed only to illegal immigration into this country, suggesting that Ms Ni Chonaill's public promotion of a racist agenda was in accordance with the law of the land and the common good.
Would the Government now consider offering an amnesty to illegal immigrants in order to deprive racists of this supposed justification of their views? Would it also consider taking action against Ms Ni Chonaill and her organisation under the legislation that already exists in this country to prevent incitement to hatred against minority groups? And would RTE consider its position in having allowed Mr Byrne and the Late Late Show to make such a disgracefully biased piece of television? - Yours, etc.,
Knockaphunta, Castlebar, Co Mayo.