Irish state broadcaster RTE has acknowledged an error of judgement in allowing newsroom TV anchor, Bryan Dobson to become involved in coaching health board executives on how to deal with journalists.
Following disclosure in the Sunday Business Post, Dobson expressed regret, saying it was a mistake.
In fact, the presenter of the evening primetime RTE1 news programme had been given permission by director of news Ed Mulhall to work with the company providing the training.
The area, however, is particularly sensitive, politically, given a near-crisis situation in the Republic’s national health scheme, and a parliamentary special committee has summoned the RTE Authority chairman and director general Bob Collins, as well as Mulhall to appear before it.
Dobson has admitted that he had been paid for the work but said “not handsomely”.
An RTE spokewoman said no disciplinary action would be taken against Dobson and that RTE had made an error of judgement in sanctioning his engagement by the Promedia company.
By Des Cryan in Dublin
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