Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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I can understand that need. Sometimes there are questions about content. As a politician, I am probably more inclined to focus on what I might regard as lack of objectivity in reporting on politics. There is some evidence in that regard and I can give an example that is not directly political. The previous Pope, Pope Benedict XVI, made a speech in Regensburg in Germany, to which there was a reaction because he seemed to be very critical of the whole Islamic world. There was a direct response from the world of Islam through "A Common Word". There was a conference in Dublin that happened to coincide with the death of Nelson Mandela. RTE sent a camera crew, etc. to report on it and nothing appeared about it. I know that the team was probably unlucky because of the overlap with the death of Nelson Mandela. It is very important, however, that the positives, on the Islamic world in this case, are reported, as opposed to just the negatives, as we see every day. The issue must be considered very carefully. I accept that it is more appropriate to bring this matter to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.