RTE Faces Priest Allegations Censure

The family of a deceased Christian Brother accused of child abuse by an RTE documentary has called the programme "utterly despicable".

In the second complaint against the Irish Republic's State broadcaster over programming about abuse by religious figures, siblings and other relatives of Brother Gerard Dillon have asked that either his name be cleared or that the single allegation made against him be proven.

Writing in Thursday's edition of 'The Irish Catholic' newspaper, the Dillons criticised the 'Mission to Prey' programme, which carried an accusation from a South African man, Mr Tyrone Selman, that he was abused by Brother Dillon.

The family said the programme's findings represented a "breach of natural justice".

The criticism comes only a day after a Labour Minister announced an inquiry into RTÉ's Prime Time programme after it allegedly defamed a priest by wrongfully accusing him of abuse.

Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte said the case of Father Kevin Reynolds was considered at Wednesday's Government meeting.

The minister said Cabinet had decided there should be an independent inquiry to determine the true facts and circumstances which led to the Prime Time programme on Fr Reynolds being broadcast on RTE in May of this year, during which he was accused of abuse.

Minister Rabbitte requested the BAI Compliance Committee use its powers to determine whether RTE had met its statutory responsibilities and asked the committee to report and make any recommendations on the case.

According to RTÉ on Wednesday, Fr Reynolds was awarded undisclosed damages and received an apology from the station after it wrongly accused him of sexually abusing a girl and fathering a child in Kenya.

"The next series of the 'Prime Time Investigates' has been deferred until editorial reviews are completed," the broadcaster said.

See: Calls For Inquiry Over RTE 'Defamation' Of Priest

(BMcC/GK)