Ned O'Sullivan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the RTE management. Like most people I have always had the height of respect for RTE. Nobody is perfect but we have always looked up to RTE as the national broadcasting company. My confidence in RTE has been greatly shaken in the past 12 months. I do not believe I am alone and in spite of the publication of the reports on this programme, there remains a lingering suspicion or fear that there was an "agenda" at work on the night of the broadcast of that programme. There may have been a bias, intentional or not. I do not think it was correct for the reporters to conclude there was no bias, because as my colleague, Deputy Dooley, has said that is a very strong statement. I think that statement was premature.

People are concerned about a number of aspects of the programme. Clearly, the softness of the approach to Michael D. Higgins, who is now the President, was remarkable. He has held left wing views during a long career and none was challenged. There was no mention of his views on abortion. This was in stark contrast to the grilling of the leading candidate.