Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The Minister said RTE is an independent broadcaster. RTE depends on the good favour of the Government of the day and on big business for advertising. I do not find it so independent. Today I received an e-mail from Ross Golden Bannon. He said:

Our community and our supporters now face into a campaign for the referendum on marriage equality in 2015 with one hand tied behind our backs. The most distressing part for those of us now silenced from using the word homophobia is that the mainstream media does not see how it has been played with the legal hand. I heard Colm O'Gorman say today as a result of RTE's capitulation it is going to be more difficult to challenge positions adopted by those who oppose equality, more difficult to question if prejudice and discrimination underpin their opposition to a fundamental human right. We would do well to remember that without a properly informed citizenry, there is no democracy.

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