Luke Flanagan (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Unlike some Members here, I am not in any way surprised about RTE being biased nor have I learned anything new about it through this case.

This is one of many cases in which it has shown its bias. Sadly, while it is meant to be a public service broadcaster, it appears to have its own agenda on many different issues. Hopefully, something good will come out of this and one good thing to emerge is that people like Deputy Colreavy or like me, from counties Leitrim or Roscommon, can proudly state in this Chamber that they wish to defend gay rights. Forty years ago, had one done what Deputy Colreavy did here today, one would have been worried going home and that constitutes massive progress. It would be nice if there were no homophobia but pretending there is not does not make it all go away. The speech made in the Abbey Theatre explained it so beautifully and that while we are all homophobic - we are - it is a case of working on it and trying to learn about the whole situation and fighting against it and in the end, everyone gets his or her rights. Sadly, however, some people are more homophobic than others and some people do not appear to make any effort to deal with that homophobia. It is sad that one now is being denied even the right to use the word. Moreover, I discovered this morning that another word has been banned by RTE. One is not allowed to use the word "Ballyhea" either. This is a gay rights issue too because, guess what, the €70 billion they robbed from us in Europe affects people who are gay, as well as straight.

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