RTÉ requested at Oireachtas committee over transgender discussion

RTÉ has been requested to attend an Oireachtas committee next week, following controversy over discussions about the transgender community on the Liveline programme on RTÉ Radio 1.

The Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport and Media considered the issue this morning and mandated its chairperson, Fianna Fáil's Niamh Smyth, to correspond with RTÉ about attending next Wednesday.

Dublin Pride announced yesterday that it was terminating its media partnership with RTÉ with immediate effect, saying it was "angered and disappointed" by recent discussions about the transgender community on the Liveline programme.

In a letter addressed to RTÉ's Director General Dee Forbes, the committee asks that she or an "appropriate representative" attend a meeting to "... discuss the circumstances surrounding the termination of the media partnership between Dublin Pride and RTÉ".

It adds: "The Committee wishes to emphasis the importance of such an engagement occurring during Pride month, and in advance of Dublin Pride on 25th June 2022; it also wishes to afford RTÉ the opportunity to visibly stand in solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community and provide an update to the Committee on RTÉ's vision and strategy for diversity and inclusion as a national broadcaster."

It slates the meeting for next Wednesday afternoon in Leinster House.

Earlier, RTÉ said it was disappointed with the decision by Dublin Pride to end its partnership with the media organisation.

In a statement, RTÉ said: "Public discussion - sometimes uncomfortable, difficult, and contentious - is central to RTÉ's prescribed purpose.

"RTÉ is acutely aware that discussions on issues such as gender and identity are deeply personal to many. It is important we listen to them, their families and those close to them, and it is also important that we allow our audiences engage with and understand the issues involved."

RTÉ said that standing with the LGBTQ+ community, during Pride month "sends an important signal that RTÉ is here to serve everyone", adding that it has "sought to include these communities and extend understanding through a range of specially produced content, campaigns and partnerships".

It said it will continue "to stand with our LGBTQ+ staff and the wider community during Pride month and beyond. In time, we hope that we will once again get the opportunity to continue to develop our partnership with Dublin Pride".

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Dublin Pride said the recent discussion on Liveline, which is presented by Joe Duffy, "breaches trust with our community and causes untold hurt" and accused RTÉ of stoking "the flames of anti-trans rhetoric".

In its statement, RTÉ said it will, "consistent with its statutory obligations, respond to any formal complaints concerning the broadcasts".

Head of RTÉ Radio One Peter Woods said that he regrets that they caused hurt, but he stands over the programmes.

Speaking to RTÉ's Drivetime, Mr Woods said: "There were a lot of things said in those programmes across the three days, and across the three days various views were presented and were robustly defended and discussed on the programme.

"I stand over the programmes because we exist as well to debate controversial issues. That is part of why RTÉ is there, so I'm looking over the past few years and I'm looking at a programme like the programme we are talking about, Liveline, which has continually debated and discussed controversial issues and shone a light in areas in Irish society," he said.

"Everything that goes out on air on Radio 1 is not going to be to everybody's satisfaction all the time, but what matters most in what we do is how we approach it and why we do it and that we try to shine a light and we try to engage with people and we try to express a variety of opinion across the airwaves," Mr Woods added.

He said that the Liveline team "would be very aware" of the language and terminology to use relating to trans and non-binary people.

When asked if he would do anything differently regarding the broadcasts, Mr Woods said: "No, but I don't think we would do anything differently."