Too important for the Sunday Leads, tomorrow’s Sunday Tribune reports that the religious orders criticised in the Ryan report into child abuse are “demanding tens of millions of euro in legal fees for appearing before the inquiry.”

The lead by Conor McMorrow and Shane Coleman continues:

While the orders are close to a final agreemenr with the government to make additional contributions of €100m plus properties to the redress scheme, the Sunday Tribune has learned that the Department of Finance has been notified that the orders have applied to have their massive legal bills arising from the Ryan inquiry covered by the taxpayer.

Shocking!

]]> http://election.ie/2010/02/e40m-scandal-religious-orders-demand-taxpayer-pay-their-ryan-inquiry-legal-bills/feed/ 2 http://election.ie/2009/05/if-we-turn-tv-off-do-society%e2%80%99s-ills-exist/ http://election.ie/2009/05/if-we-turn-tv-off-do-society%e2%80%99s-ills-exist/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 10:45:08 +0000 Alexia Golez http://election.ie/?p=248

Last night’s Question and Answers was one of the most powerful episodes bar none. There are no more words. Patrick O’Brien’s voice sounded for the silence masses of people abused in institutions run by religious orders. Yet again, the lead on a political issue is played out on television with the Government and main political parties holding their jaws firm just like it’s the first time they’ve heard about it.

It’s very telling that the strongest, sensible voice speaking out as the dust settles on the Ryan report on abuse carried out by the religious in Ireland is Mary Rafferty. Her work on the States of Fear show a decade ago, still leaves an explosive mark on the Irish psyche.

So if it a case of abuse, a fuck-you stamp on the rights of an individual or an abuse of political power isn’t on television, on Joe Duffy or reported in the press does it exist? There’s something sick in the system, if the public have to see and heard stories to put pressure on the body Politik and the Government to fix things.

If for some reason, Michael O’Brien decided not to go onto Questions and Answers last night. If he had stuck to the clear lines of engagement that Questions and Answers usually gives its questioners. If he had stopped short before he reacted to the panel’s answers to his question on the Ryan report, would we all be talking about it this morning? The sick acts carried out by the religious orders would still weigh heavy on survivors, but of course, the difference is it would not be on TV.

The real question is – Must Every Revolution Be Televised?