Louise McSharry has weighed in on the recent Liveline controversy which resulted in Dublin LGBTQ+ Pride severing media ties with RTE.
The organisers of the pride parade that is set to take place this weekend claimed Joe Duffy's show on RTE Radio 1 gave a platform to "extremely harmful anti-trans 'discussions'".
The Liveline episodes in question invited listeners on to debate topics such as gender-neutral language and gender identity.
Read more: Leo Varadkar hope RTE and Dublin Pride can 'come together and sort out' Liveline dispute
The former 2FM presenter had her say on the issue during an episode of her podcast Catch Up With Louise McSharry, revealing that she feels "so glad" that she no longer works for the national broadcaster.
She said: "Obviously people need to be able to have conversations but there's a difference between having a conversation at the dinner table with your uncle who doesn't have a clue about LGBT rights or trans people, and to have that on national radio where there are thousands of people listening.
"'We know that the people who are trans and non-binary are some of the most vulnerable people in any community anywhere. They also represent just 1% of the community. You're talking about a tiny, extremely vulnerable minority. To blast like that on the national broadcaster and not think there might be dangerous consequences as a result of it is completely irresponsible."
She added: "I'm so glad I'm not working there right now. If I was working there and I had to try continue working there knowing that this kind of thing had happened and pretending it hadn't would be excruciating for me. I really feel for all the right minded, informed and LGBTQI+ people who work there right now.
"The problem is you can't know everything about everything. When I go on to do a programme and an interview I have a responsibility to inform myself to a level where I can appropriately have a conversation.
"If you're on the national broadcaster and going to have a conversation about something that's incredibly sensitive, where you're taking about peoples' literal lives, you need to be informed."
In a statement shared on social media last week, Dublin Pride announced that it was severing its media ties with RTE, describing the Liveline episode as "extremely harmful".
They wrote: "Over the past three years, we have worked together with the national broadcaster to increase the positive representation of LGBTQ+ people on TV, radio, and online, and to see the good work of so many people undone is saddening in the extreme and negates much of the efforts made to date.
"It breaches trust with our community and causes untold hurt."
RTE then said in a statement: "Standing with the LGBTQ+ community during Pride month sends an important signal that RTE is here to serve everyone.
“Public discussion - sometimes uncomfortable, difficult, and contentious - is central to RTÉ’s prescribed purpose. RTE is acutely aware that discussions on issues such as gender and identity are deeply personal to many."
Read more: Former RTE star Louise McSharry looks back at 'difficult' time when 2FM show was axed
Read more: RTE Prime Time viewers react after 'terrifying' episode
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