Ms Jacinta Brack:

It only came to our attention when we were developing our own submission for the Future of Media Commission and it gave evidence to the fact that there is very little dialogue at that level between RTÉ and the community and Travellers generally and so these unilateral decisions are taken. We found it shocking and RTÉ appointed, I think about three years ago, an executive to the role of diversity.

I know the commission is making a recommendation that higher executive officers, diversity officers, be appointed across media generally. That is welcome. Even with that person in place, however, they did not reach out to us, so that came as a surprise. I am not in any way linking these things, but we have brought a few complaints to the BAI regarding RTÉ's reporting. Traditionally, current affairs relied on the trope or pitchfork style, as I said in the submission, around Travellers on one side versus anything from an opposing councillor, to an opposing Deputy, to a vox pop of opinion. There is no consultation whatsoever with Travellers about that. The poll we referred to, because it happened in 2022, was also shocking because people in the community fed back to us that after that show was aired, the next day young children down in Cork were facing and experiencing either people talking or being racist towards them on the street, having seen the poll. In delivering that kind of content, it tells the rest of us it is okay to talk about Travellers in that way. If RTÉ is doing it, then it is okay. There was no consultation. We would welcome ongoing engagement with it in order to make that better.