Costs Revealed in Programme Which Libeled Ahascragh Priest

Galway Bay FM
May 11, 2012

http://www.galwaynews.ie/25756-costs-revealed-programme-which-libeled-ahascragh-priest

It's been revealed that RTE's current affairs department spent 60 thousand euro on travel costs for its "Mission to prey" programme, which libeled Ahascragh priest, Fr Kevin Reynolds.

The Irish Times reports that the overall cost of the programme was 184 thousand euro, which is more than the 137 thousand recorded in the BAI Anna Carragher report.

A spokesperson for RTE says the BAI figure quoted did not include staff salaries of 22 thousand and other costs.

Travel costs to Africa for reporter Aoife Kavanagh and the team are recorded as 60 thousand euro.

The investigation into the circumstances which led to the libel found that the programme was not fair and that it broadcast serious, damaging and untrue allegations about Fr Reynolds.