Why

would anyone pay €160 a year licence fee to have their intellect insulted by the competitive shouting that defined the national broadcaster’s debate about abortion last Monday night. Claire Byrne Live on RTÉ was designed to attract maximum audience figures with matching vulgarity and minimum production values. The makers of Monday night’s embarrassing fiasco should be sent for work experience to Channel 4 News. The British station’s coverage of Brexit and Irish politics on all of their evening bulletins last week was a masterclass in public service television.