THE Archbishop of Dublin has criticised RTÉ for the delay in admitting that Fr Kevin Reynolds had been wrongly accused on a Prime Time Investigates programme of sexually abusing a teenager and fathering a child.
Calling for independent regulation of broadcasters and the press in the wake of the case, Dr Diarmuid Martin said the Catholic Church had learned from the child abuse scandals and so must the media.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland ahead of the meeting of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Dr Martin said: "Press freedom is a vital element of our society. Investigative journalism has done much good for our society, but we need to have forms of regulation which are independent.
"The Church has learned from its mistakes by putting into practice child protection norms which are now transparent and credible and is opening itself to consistent monitoring of how it performs.
"That is what is needed in the media, not to muzzle anybody but to ensure that peoples rights have protected."
He said there had been a considerable delay in RTÉ admitting Fr Reynolds had been wrongly accused of raping a minor while working as a missionary in Kenya and fathering a child with her.
"There was considerable delay before admission that this had gone quite wrong.
"The investigation should look at why it took that time before responsibility was finally admitted."
However, Dr Martin said the outcome of three investigations into the matter should be awaited.
"RTÉ must let the investigation into Fr Reynolds case come to conclusion. Afterwards there should be a general discussion and within RTÉ as a major public news carrier, and without muzzling freedom of the press to guarantee that this type of thing does not recur."
He also said he believed that, in general, there was not an anti-Catholic bias in the media.
"I believe there may be an anti-Catholic bias among some journalists, but I don’t think that in general you can say there is an anti-Catholic bias in the media.
"I have in general been well quoted, criticised or praised. Where there is bias of any kind the type of regulations we have should be able to address any questions like that."
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland ahead of the meeting of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Dr Martin said: "Press freedom is a vital element of our society. Investigative journalism has done much good for our society, but we need to have forms of regulation which are independent.
"The Church has learned from its mistakes by putting into practice child protection norms which are now transparent and credible and is opening itself to consistent monitoring of how it performs.
"That is what is needed in the media, not to muzzle anybody but to ensure that peoples rights have protected."
He said there had been a considerable delay in RTÉ admitting Fr Reynolds had been wrongly accused of raping a minor while working as a missionary in Kenya and fathering a child with her.
"There was considerable delay before admission that this had gone quite wrong.
"The investigation should look at why it took that time before responsibility was finally admitted."
However, Dr Martin said the outcome of three investigations into the matter should be awaited.
"RTÉ must let the investigation into Fr Reynolds case come to conclusion. Afterwards there should be a general discussion and within RTÉ as a major public news carrier, and without muzzling freedom of the press to guarantee that this type of thing does not recur."
He also said he believed that, in general, there was not an anti-Catholic bias in the media.
"I believe there may be an anti-Catholic bias among some journalists, but I don’t think that in general you can say there is an anti-Catholic bias in the media.
"I have in general been well quoted, criticised or praised. Where there is bias of any kind the type of regulations we have should be able to address any questions like that."