A Sinn Fein manifesto pledge to investigate RTE’s objectivity is a “dog whistle to conspiracy theorists”, the Taoiseach has said. Fine Gael leader Simon Harris and Tanaiste and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin both heavily criticised the proposal, with Mr Martin branding it a “dangerous departure”. In its General Election manifesto published on Tuesday, Sinn Fein said it would commission an “independent human rights and journalist expert review into the objectivity of coverage by RTE of the Israeli genocide in Gaza and other international conflicts”.
Arriving separately for a Cabinet meeting at Government Buildings in Dublin on Wednesday, Mr Harris and Mr Martin both raised concerns over the proposed examination of how Ireland’s national broadcaster has covered the bloodshed in Gaza and its reporting on other war zones. The Taoiseach said: “I just can’t imagine this scenario in any functioning democracy that a political party that wants to lead a government would put in its manifesto, in its list of political promises to the Irish people, that it will establish an independent review of RTE’s objectivity and news coverage.” Questioning where the Sinn Fein policy would stop, Mr Harris asked if the party would later probe matters beyond the Middle East, and added: “RTE today, who tomorrow?” He called on Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald to withdraw the “chilling, despicable” proposal.
“To actually even suggest that RTE needs to be independentl.
