An Independent TD claims he was “dropped” from an RTÉ panel discussion on immigration set to take place tonight after he said he would be criticising elements of Justice Minister Helen McEntee’s asylum handling – a claim which RTÉ is denying.
The allegation was first made by Clare TD Michael McNamara on social media last Friday evening.
“I was asked on the next RTÉ Upfront about immigration,” he said.
“I said I would point out that Helen McEntee was failing to make decisions on leave to remain applications and outline how many people are waiting in Direct Provision and for how long.”
He added: “I was dropped from the show.”
The TD added: “The role of public service broadcasting is to hold the government to account, not to protect the government.”
The role of public service broadcasting is to hold the government to account, not to protect the government. https://t.co/AGL6ivUsxz
— Michael McNamara TD (@MlMcNamaraTD) April 5, 2024
Speaking to Gript about the incident, McNamara explained in further detail.
“I was asked would I be available to go on the show,” he said.
“I said I would, and that I would be pointing out the complete shambles that Helen McEntee and this government are presiding over when it comes to our immigration system. I specifically pointed out the Minister’s failure to make decisions on leave to remain applications, which results in people waiting months and years for a decision, all the while in Direct Provision as they are entitled to be accommodated by the State until that decision is made.
“I was told that the programme would request these figures from the Department. Instead of receiving the figures, I was told this evening that I was dropped from the show.”
The TD went on to slam Minister McEntee’s plan to sign Ireland up to the new EU Migration Pact, which would see a massive EU-wide overhaul of the European immigration system.
“The Minister heralds the idea of bringing in new laws, but completely fails to implement the system we have,” he said.
“No matter how many Direct Provisions spaces are provided, they will be filled if the Minister of the day is not making decisions on applications at the same pace as applicants are entering the system.
“The suggestion that we would enter into a legal commitment to accept asylum seekers from other countries, such as Italy and Greece, when the Department of Justice is manifestly unable to process existing applicants, is nonsensical and could only be countenanced by somebody hopelessly out of touch.”
The Deputy went on to slate RTÉ’s coverage of the migration issue more broadly.
“It seems clear to me from watching RTÉ’s coverage on immigration that they wish to portray everybody with any concerns about the failure to implement our immigration system as mindless bigots,” he said.
“RTÉ is not interested in any meaningful analysis of why our Direct Provision centres are full.”
Gript reached out to RTÉ Upfront for comment, with a spokesperson claiming that while there was an initial “conversation” with McNamara, he was never “confirmed” as a panel guest.
“Given the nature of live current affairs programmes the final make-up of a panel is normally never confirmed until the day of broadcast,” the spokesperson said.
“Just for clarification, we can confirm that while an initial conversation took place with Deputy Michael McNamara, he was not confirmed as a panel guest to appear on Upfront.”
The programme added: “Upfront stands by its track record of ensuring our panels cover the widest range of views possible and where all sides of a debate are represented.”