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Pat Rabbitte is VERY angry about RTÉ's water charges coverage

The former minister has previously described the broadcaster as a “recruiting sergeant” for the far left and Sinn Féin.

Updated 12.12pm

Rabbitte 1

IN MARCH, PAT Rabbitte launched a scathing attack on RTÉ accusing the national broadcaster of acting like a “recruiting sergeant” for the far left and Sinn Féin in its coverage of the water charges controversy.

The former communications minister said that if he didn’t know better the station’s “lopsided coverage of the water issue derives from a decision of the RTÉ Board to strangle Irish Water at birth”.

The attack prompted an examination of RTÉ’s coverage of the water issue as the broadcaster insisted its coverage had been fair and balanced.

In an interview with TheJournal.ie this week, Rabbitte stuck the boot into RTÉ again, insisting that as the public service broadcaster it had a responsibility to report on the “dysfunctional nature of the Irish water system”.

Paul Hosford / TheJournal.ie

In a further attack, the Dublin South-West TD also took issue with the reporting by RTÉ Radio’s This Week programme on the ‘bonus culture’ at Irish Water which he said was “completely untrue and unfair”.

In the clip below Rabbitte explains how Irish Water operates a ”performance-related performance pay system”.

He accuses RTÉ of having “misrepresented the position of Irish Water because they had a crank inside inside giving them part information”.

Paul Hosford / TheJournal.ie

RTÉ journalist John Burke, who has reported extensively on the Irish Water ‘bonus’ controversy, responded to Rabbitte’s remarks this morning:

Despite his grievances with RTÉ, Rabbitte said he had no complaints with how other media organisations have covered the water issue.

He insisted there is a distinction between the public service broadcaster and others.

I am not going to intrude to tell the journalists of Ireland how they should do their job.

Originally published at 7am

Read: Pat Rabbitte launches scathing attack on RTÉ’s coverage of water charges

Read: Joan Burton thinks RTÉ got a bit too excited about the water protests (but RTÉ doesn’t agree)

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126 Comments
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    Mute Beachmaster
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    Sep 14th 2016, 3:55 PM

    Comedy in Ireland is dead looking at those nominations.

    67
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    Mute Peter King
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:00 PM

    I enjoyed Bridget and Eamon. It’s not amazing but has a few laughs every episode.

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    Mute Motherofdivinejebus
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:02 PM

    RTE in Ireland is dead looking at those nominations!

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:12 PM

    When was it alive. I think Irish people have a great sense of humour, but it never seems to translate onto the screen particularly well. What was the last great comedy produced in Ireland?

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    Mute fiachra29
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:20 PM

    Personally I think the problem with comedy tv and tv in general in Ireland is they tend to look at what Americans people do and then copy it, the end result is a cringeworthy production of Irish acting like Americans but throwing in the odd phrase like “craic” or “notions” in an feeble attempt to hide what they’re doing.

    They’re so used to seeing Americans and to a degree British people on TV that Irish actors and writers don’t seem to know how to portray actual Irish people on TV.

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    Mute O Swetenham
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:27 PM

    Couldn’t agree more. Don’t forget ‘mammy’, the wooden spoon, and the immersion. Those are always good for a laugh.

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    Mute Ronan Fitzgerald
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:56 PM

    Scap Saturday??

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    Mute Ronan Fitzgerald
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:57 PM

    SCRAP!!! :(

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    Mute Derek hutchings
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    Sep 14th 2016, 5:33 PM

    Red rock deserves all the nominations it is very well put together and if the bbc bought it and it is going to be on Netflix it can’t be all that bad don’t see any of rte soaps doing good the same

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    Mute The Thinker
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    Sep 14th 2016, 6:50 PM

    Sure the IFTAs are just bought. It’s a money racket.

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    Mute Aaron Brogan
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:10 PM

    Fair play to them. Although I generally hate all soaps, it does seem to be of a higher quality than the rest. Having said that, if it was the only thing on I’d turn the tv off.

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    Mute Poole Hyde
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    Sep 14th 2016, 4:13 PM

    True.. There’s enough misery in real life without inviting extra into your living room.

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