RTE producer in Prime Time row involved in ‘God is a rapist’ show
A SENIOR RTÉ producer who was at the centre of the broadcaster’s Mission To Prey debacle was also involved in the production of the New Year’s Eve special that has attracted more than 4,000 complaints over a comedy sketch depicting God as a sex offender.
Although he is not included in the end credits of the New Year’s Eve show, RTÉ confirmed that Brian Paircéir, who is now an executive producer of entertainment and Irish language programming, was ‘involved’ in the production.
The broadcaster also refused to reveal in what capacity he worked on the production or whether he watched or signed off on the Waterford Whispers News fake news report that has provoked outrage.
Mr Paircéir was the executive producer of the Prime Time Investigates programme that falsely accused Fr Kevin Reynolds of raping a minor and fathering a child while working in Kenya, and ended up costing the taxpayer €1.5m in fines and libel damages.
The programme aired despite an offer through his solicitor for Fr Reynolds to take a paternity test – which later proved he was not the child’s father – which was dismissed by senior staff, including Mr Paircéir.
Prime Time Investigates was scrapped in the wake of the scandal, while several staff either left or were sidelined.
Despite its apology and removal of the NYE special from the RTÉ Player after a week of criticism, RTÉ will still have to face an Oireachtas committee to explain its God ‘rape’ sketch – as well as the retirement party which broke lockdown restrictions in November.
Fianna Fáil’s Niamh Smyth, chair of the committee on Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht said the broadcasters still had ‘very many’ questions to
‘How was it appropriate for a family show?’
answer. ‘This sketch was primarily making a joke about the violation of women, how is that appropriate for a family show?
‘And the answers we received about the gathering [retirement send-off] were far from satisfactory. Like, was this an organised event? Were invitations sent out?
‘They refused to answer that. I understand there’s a Garda inquiry going on but they can’t use that excuse to avoid answering were people invited to attend this event? We’ve now sent them a second list of questions. We want answers.’
It comes as RTÉ staff also criticised the broadcaster for airing the allegedly blasphemous clip in the New Year’s Eve Countdown show hosted by Kathryn Thomas and Deirdre O’Kane.
Former newsreader Aengus Mac Grianna, who presented the fake news bulletin, also apologised.
‘Would they have made a joke of the prophet Mohammed? No,’ said one senior staff member.
‘Notwithstanding the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church [which complained about the sketch], what is the point in offending people like this? It wasn’t funny in any way.’
Fáilte Ireland, which sponsored part of the New Year’s Eve show, welcomed RTÉ’s apology.
‘Fáilte Ireland sponsored one element of the RTÉ New Year’s Eve programme which was the Midnight Moment and illuminations segment,’ said a spokesperson.
‘We had no involvement, control or knowledge whatsoever relating to the content of the Waterford Whispers News sketch.
‘Fáilte Ireland welcomes RTÉ’s public apology on the matter and we note that the clip has been removed from the RTÉ Player.’
Colm Williamson, the creator of the Waterford Whispers satirical news website, who directed and edited the sketch and is credited alongside two other WWN writers, did not respond to requests for comment this week. The popular satirical news website has not made any statement about the matter.
The New Year’s Eve programme was produced for RTÉ by Kite Entertainment which also failed to respond to a request for comment.
RTÉ refused to say which producers had signed off on the show. The stations’s executive producer for the show was Michael Kealy.
Deputy Smyth said RTÉ’s director general Dee Forbes will ‘hopefully answer’ these questions in front of the committee.
It comes after RTÉ this week admitted that the comedy sketch portraying God being accused of rape ‘did not comply’ with its own standards. It finally took the show off the RTÉ Player online on Thursday, after leaving it up for several days, albeit with a ‘viewer discretion’ warning.
And RTÉ’s Editorial Board ruled that the national broadcaster should make a voluntary disclosure of non-compliance to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland after accusations of blasphemy.
‘The programme, broadcast on RTÉ One on New Year’s Eve, featured a sketch by satirical group Waterford Whispers News,’ the broadcaster said.
In it, a mocked-up news report featuring former RTÉ news presenter Aengus Mac Grianna claimed that God had been arrested over ‘sexual harassment scandals’.
‘The five-billion year-old stood accused of forcing himself on a young middle-eastern migrant and allegedly impregnating her against her will, before being sentenced to two years in prison, with the last 24 months suspended,’ it went.
A man dressed as God was then seen being led away by a member of the Garda, and was heard shouting: ‘It was 2,000 years ago.’
Deputy Smyth says RTÉ director general Dee Forbes has not appeared before the Oireachtas committee so far about the retirement party in November,.
‘But as soon as we can, we expect to hear from her,’ she said.
RTÉ presenters David McCullagh, Bryan Dobson and Miriam O’ Cal l a ghan were pi c t ur e d unmasked alongside colleagues at a retirement party on November 12. They have since apologised but no sanction has been taken against them or any off the other 40 plus attendees at the event.
A Garda inquiry continues.