Fr Kevin Reynolds A documentary which falsely accused an Irish missionary of child sexual abuse and fathering a child while in Kenya was the sole instance of irresponsible journalism by RTÉ cited by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at a New York event, Mr Varadkar has said.
Speaking in the Dáil about his controversial comments, the Taoiseach said: “My only reference to RTÉ was in response to somebody challenging me when I said that investigative journalism was not always true,” he said, “and the only reference I made to RTÉ Prime Time Investigates was specifically on the issue of the ‘Mission to Prey’, programme when false allegations against a priest fathering a child in Africa were broadcast and should not have been broadcast.”
He said the 2011 programme was an example of a case where “a story became more important than the truth”.