Anger over RTÉ’s ‘new low’ abortion coverage

An RTÉ Investigates programme on Ireland’s abortion laws made a “total mockery” of public service broadcasting and has left many pro life supporters angry, says the Pro Life Campaign (PLC).

The Pro Life Campaign called for a special Oireachtas committee to examine RTÉ’s editorial bias following the “highly partisan” documentary that aired on Monday night.

“The real investigation that needs to happen is into how RTÉ gets away with producing programme after programme on abortion that present a thoroughly distorted and one sided take on what’s actually happening,” PLC spokeswoman Eilis Mulroy said.

By focusing on the “very small number” of cases of women travelling for late-term abortions in an “inaccurate way”, RTÉ exhibited “contempt for the public”, Ms Mulroy added.

She questioned why RTÉ “ignored” instances of “grotesque and truly appalling” situations such as babies being born alive after botched abortions and left to die.

“The RTÉ Investigates programme on abortion that just aired made a total mockery of public service broadcasting,” she said, calling it a “new low” in abortion coverage.