Clare Byrne’s radio show producer has apologised profusely to a member of the public who complained to RTE over veteran broadcaster Dave Fanning’s insulting comments about the late Christy Dignam.
The Irish Mirror has seen a copy of the letter from the producer in which he said: “The programme accepts his comments were in poor taste and we have therefore apologised.”
The controversy broke last month when the Irish Mirror revealed that there had been over 40 complaints over Mr Fanning’s comments when he was brought onto an RTE show to talk about the late, great lead singer of Dublin band Aslan.
We also reported the details from one of the complainants, Aaron McAllorum, who has now received a detailed apology from the Claire Byrne producer.
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The apology reads: “Dear Aaron, firstly thank you for listening to the programme, and for getting in touch with us.
“I am writing to acknowledge your email of 20 June, referencing a discussion on the Today with Claire Byrne programme on the 14th of June, following the death of Christy Dignam.
“The programme firstly heard from Imelda May, Ronan Collins, and Frances Black, who spoke about the ‘wonderful man’ Christy Dignam, how much it meant to them to perform and work with him, and what an extraordinary person he was, as well as an extraordinary singer and performer.
“Not only in relation to his music career, however, as Ronan Collins said earlier in the programme, that Christy Dignam ‘remained loyal and true to the important things in life... and handled himself superbly down through the years,’ despite his difficulties with addiction.
“The conversation also included Dave Fanning, and following comments that he made as part of that, which you refer to in your email, Dave Fanning has publicly apologised and acknowledged that his comments were not only ill-timed but were in poor taste as well.
“Offence can vary from person to person, and no one has a right not to be offended and the broadcasting regulator acknowledges that broadcasts will, at times, cause offence.
“The threshold is undue offence. In this instance, while Dave Fanning’s comments did cause offence, we do not accept they were unduly offensive. There was no intention to be hurtful or unduly offensive.
“But Dave Fanning and the programme accepts his comments were in poor taste and we have therefore apologised that they were made on the show.
“Thank you for your time.”
Mr McAllorum is pleased with the apology and he told the Mirror that he is happy now to drop his formal complaint.
