Committee hears from BAI chairman on RTÉ investigation

An Oireachtas Committee has been hearing from Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) chiefs about its findings against RTÉ.

It comes after a 'Prime Time Investigates' programme was found to have defamed Father Kevin Reynolds.

Ten days ago the BAI fined the broadcaster €200,000 after an investigation into the making of the 'Mission to Prey' programme found there was a significant failure of editorial and managerial controls within RTÉ.

Chairman of the BAI Bob Collins told the Oireachtas Committee on Communications today that the report made a number of findings against Montrose.

"The Authority formally found that the broadcast of the programme represented a breach of the 2009 Act… that is was not fair to Fr Kevin Reynolds in what it had broadcast.

"The Authority formally found that the means used to film the programme - including secret filming and a doorstep interview - unreasonably encroached on Fr Reynolds' privacy."