Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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The timeline is important. The funeral took place on 24 August. He is from Ballina and his family is friends with mine. On 23 September - I know this is a matter of contention - the family was informed by the gardaí that there was to be a "Late Late Show" on the circumstances surrounding what happened at their home on 16 August. We have a mother grieving the loss of her son, worrying about the health of her only other son, trying to keep her family together, who is forced into sending a letter on 1 October, less than two months after her son was murdered, to the then Director General of RTE to try and stop this episode from going ahead. As the executive producer, Mr. Jennings wrote to Nuala Creane in response to the letter she wrote to Cathal Goan. He emphasised that it was not his intention to add to the immense hurt and distress visited upon her family. I hope none of us in this room ever has to walk the road that the Creane family is walking.

With the utmost respect to Mr. Jennings, how could he have imagined that putting this out in front of 500,000 people would not add to the distress and trauma of the family at the time? This is a public service broadcaster - and, as Deputy Maloney said, it is precious to this nation - and Mr. Jennings decided that the trauma and distress of one family would be highlighted with no regard for the trauma and distress of the other family involved in this. He said he was acutely aware of the sensitivities involved, but insisted on proceeding with the programme that night. He did not at any stage acknowledge the grief caused by that decision to the Creane family. He said that he wanted to give the members of the other family the opportunity to tell their story and raise the issues they wished to raise. He at no stage has actually acknowledged the distressed he has caused and is continuing to cause to the Creane family.

There is an inquest under way. Approximately 500,000 people would have watched that programme and the immediate coverage which came on the back of that programme and of the interview done that night focused on one specific aspect of the case, which then became the narrative of the case. One specific aspect of a very complex case became the accepted public narrative of the case as a direct consequence of the "Late Late Show" that night. One family's story was highlighted.

I have been struggling to understand the decision of Mr. Jennings and his team to go ahead with that interview when they knew that the mother of a young man who had been murdered was not able to do that. They forced her into trying to park her grief so as that she could take on RTE. As well as having to take on this mountain of grief, because of their decision Mrs. Creane also had to deal with RTE. Yes, the public service broadcaster is precious to this country, but when it tramples over people in the way it has done to Nuala Creane, Jay Creane, Dylan Creane and the memory of Seb Creane, that is when we begin to lose respect for it.

I want to acknowledge the work of the Chairman in trying to pursue this matter. We are only able to pursue it because of the work of the independent broadcaster TV3. Hiding behind the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland's statement that RTE is in compliance still does not answer my question. What was going on that Mr. Jennings decided, six weeks after this horrific event, that it would make for good television?