Sir, - We agree with Brian Quinn (July 14th) on the value of the coverage of the abortion debate in The Irish Times, but thereafter we have to differ.
On the day the religious leaders went before the Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution, we carried reports lasting nearly three minutes each on our major newscasts. There was a substantial commitment considering the number of serious news events demanding coverage this month. Our reporter at the committee was our Religious Affairs Correspondent, Joe Little, who is very experienced in this area; and we understand those who spoke were satisfied with our representation of their views. Normal news reporting methods were used: voiceover pictures, followed by full sound of a speaker, which Mr Quinn chooses to categorise disparagingly as a few audible remarks.
In addition to coverage in our bulletins, Oireachtas Report, which is a news division programme, dealt with the submissions in greater length: more than five minutes from a 15-minute programme.
During earlier sessions of the committee, we had a news reporter present each day to provide coverage on both radio and television bulletins. We also carried follow-up explanatory items, which were necessary with such a complex subject. On the first day of the hearings, May 2nd, we had three reports on the subject on our 6.1 News alone.
RTE is committed to reporting the abortion debate fully, but also, we hope, in a calm manner. We wonder why Mr Quinn would seem to chide us for not having facilitated a rush of blood to the head. Indeed, we are further perplexed why he, a journalist himself, would give currency to a suggestion that RTE is driven by ideological decisions or takes political instructions.
We let our record answer that. - Yours, etc.,
Kevin Healy, Director of Public Affairs, RTE, Dublin 4.