| If its any help, not saying its great maybe you could mention some of the points raised below when drafting your letter to BAI. Don't cut and paste, as it does not come across as genuine or heartfelt. Dear Sirs Please find attached a Compliant Referral Form dually completed. Please see below Correspondence between RTE and myself to date in relation to the matter. As you see I am awaiting a further reply from them, not being satisfied with the reply and the independence of the person replying. I believe the issues raised by me in relation to the Programme and its compliance with the Broadcasting Act need to be addressed and RTE held to account over same. I do not wish to repeat or list the many areas where the broadcast failed in this regard to the Broadcasting Act, expecting the email below being of sufficient detail to assist you in this regard, however I do believe that RTE and the intent of the persons behind this programme was to impose their own views and agenda into the public discourse, using the resources of RTE which are essentially public resources and not for such personal crusades. In doing so they have done a considerable disservice to RTE as a public body, and the very many fine people involved in Greyhounds as an industry and a sport, along with misinforming the public at large. The Broadcasting Act is set up to prohibit and punish such false broadcasting. I await your positive action in this regard. Yours sincerely Tom O Connor
00353(0)86 6064005 Riesk,
Ballincurrig
Leamlara,
Co Cork. From: Tom O'Connor
Sent: Tuesday 23 July 2019 20:40
To: Complaints
Subject: RE: RTE Investigates Wednesday 26th of June 2019. Dear Mr Maguire Further to your email below I would to reply as follows. For efficiency I have inserted my comments in the body of your email below, where I feel your reply fails address the matters raised in my own earlier email to you or indeed the most important point that your Broadcast failed to comply with the obligations RTE has with regard to the Broadcasting Act 2009. From: Complaints
Sent: Thursday 11 July 2019 16:15
To: Tom O'Connor
Subject: Re: RTE Investigates Wednesday 26th of June 2019. Dear Mr O'Connor I refer to your email regarding the RT Investigates programme on the greyhound industry. RT stands over its coverage of the industry and to the extent you refer to the RT Investigates programme - it was a comprehensive, factual investigation into practices in the industry. Firstly, RT has received a number of emails regarding the programme and a number of these are copy & paste emails raising precisely the same issues with the same wording. There are further emails raising some other questions about the programme. Therefore, RT is responding to these emails by addressing the main questions raised: I would comment that your reply specifically does not address the obligations placed on RTE under the broadcasting Act 2009. I note that you are an editor in the RTE Investigates which produced the programme. In this context, you are not the impartial respondent I was expecting RTE to employ to address the query raised. Therefore I would request that you forward this email thread to someone in RTE who can impartially defend this Programme in relation to the provisions of the Broadcasting Act 2009. Reference to EPO You mention the reference to EPO by Finbarr Heslin who was interviewed in the programme and question why he did not report EPO if he found it in dogs. During the interview he stated: Anybody involved in the industry knows there is a drugs problem in the industry. The programme dealt with this aspect as follows: With regard to doping the programme never suggested that everyone involved in the sport is engaged in doping it did detail the substances recovered from raids by the Department of Agriculture Special Investigations Unit; it did reference court cases; it did include the views of Tony Walsh, Chairman of the Greyhound Owners and Breeders Association expressing his concerns at doping in the industry and it referenced the fact that the IGB asked UK expert Professor Tim Morris to examine doping 4 years ago. He reported there were longstanding and significant deficiencies in policies, processes and their implementation to deal with this issue. With regard to EPO Mr. Heslin stated: We see the long-term negative effect of a lot of these drugs on these dogs and when we see dogs who come in and theyve had so much EPO pumped into them that their blood is like treacle. It was quite clear that he was talking about the long-term legacy in dogs he has seen, i.e, dogs who historically were subject to EPO. For the record, Mr. Finbarr Heslin is recognised as specialising in the care and treatment of greyhounds. He graduated from UCD in 1993. He campaigned for years for legislative change with a particular focus on the plight of Irish greyhounds in Spain. He was Consultant Veterinary Surgeon for the ISPCA for a number of years and has appeared as an expert witness in courts in many cruelty cases. In 2005 he was appointed by the Government to chair a working group on dog production and puppy farms in Ireland and the findings of that group formed the basis of the 2010 Dog Breeding Establishment Bill. He was also involved in helping to draft the Mircochipping of Dogs Act 2015. In the course of the programme he spoke directly about the conditions of greyhounds examined by him in his professional capacity. It was entirely factual, clinical based evidence. RT is totally satisfied that his established expertise in this area was entirely appropriate for his inclusion. You have failed to address in your reply my query in relation to the independence of Mr Heslin. The fact that Mr Heslin is in a relationship with an RTE journalist, Sharon Ni Bheolin, who has spoken publicly against Greyhound Racing, has not been addressed. The influence that this relationship may have brought to bear on Mr Heslins comments in relation to Greyhound Racing is something that RTE should and must avoid if it is to be taken seriously as doing its utmost to ensure compliance with the Broadcasting Act. How and why Mr Heslin was employed in this capacity by RTE to comment on Greyhound Racing given this background needs to be addressed. Who made the call to include him and how was it activated? How much was Mr Heslin paid if anything for his contribution. Was Sharon Ni Bheolain involved in his appointment? Can her relationship to Mr Heslin be free of the accusations that this programme was presented in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of his or her own views ? While you attempt to defend Mr Heslins comments in relation to EPO, advising that he was speaking of the the long-term negative effect it was not communicated to the viewers that it has been 2005 since a dog was found with EPO in its system in Ireland. Dogs presenting now would have to be in the minimum 16years old at this stage, and no evidence was provided supporting the fact that Mr Heslin ever reported to the authorities that he had encountered dogs with EPO in his surgery, which I trust he is legally bound to do. How many Greyhounds, racing, retired or otherwise has he examined, and how many were affected by EPO. I would think it prudent of RTE to establish Mr Heslins bona fides in this regard. Can you advise on what measures you took in this regard? Unaccounted for dogs RT reported that the study commissioned and paid for, at a cost of over 115,000, by the Irish Greyhound Board concluded that around 16,000 greyhounds are born each year but at an early stage thousands vanish from the record books. And of those who survive long enough to be registered to race 5,987 are killed simply because they are not fast enough. They are the findings of the report commissioned by the Irish Greyhound Board. This report was presented in a manner that it was beyond refute. This report, was fundamentally flawed and as such could not be utilised by the IGB. Had RTE taken its obligations under the Broadcasting Act seriously, the should have got independent advise on this report before portraying this report to the public at large as entirely factual proof that 5,987 greyhounds are killed simply because they are not fast enough. This will be shown to be factually incorrect very easily and would have been if RTE was intent on presenting a balanced programme. However it seems the provisions and intent of the Broadcasting Act were not in RTEs mind when they were so keen to present the Greyhound Industry and the people and families involved in such an imbalanced and unfair way. The Knackeries footage A fixed camera was put in place adjacent to the knackery in question. The camera was in situ for twelve days. When the camera was retrieved the footage was checked by the programme team. It was only at that point the team discovered four dogs had been brought to the knackery and killed. The matter was reported to the Department of Agriculture, the body with responsibility for knackeries and the appropriate body to investigate alleged breaches of the knackery licence. I note that you did not however report the number plates of the individuals delivering the dogs to be dispatched in this manner to the IGB or any other body, even when requested to do so. The IGB and those involved in Greyhounds totally condemn the euthanising of Greyhounds in this manner and we should be assisted and not thwarted by the RTE in preventing this from happening. However, I suspect it was not in your interest to show the IGB reacting positively to such actions, nor was it overall your intention to protect the welfare of greyhounds. Your intention was to make a sensationalist programme, and not present the facts in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of his or her own views. Racing Life of a greyhound In relation to a dogs racing career the programme stated: Typically, a dogs racing career lasts just seven months. That figure of 7 months came from the IGB's own report compiled by Preferred Results Ltd. The company analysed the racing dog pool for the period 2013 to 2015. This covered all dogs and looked at the turnover and replenishment rates. It looked at an average dog pool at the start of each year, the number of new entrants, the number exiting the racing pool and the closing figure for the end of the year. It found the average time in active dog racing pool for ach dog was 6.92 months. It summarised it as follows (Powerpoint presentation which is now available on the IGB website on page 12 of 94): EXTERNAL LINK "The stand-out figure is the number of Dog Pool rotations per year which averages 1.73 which means that on average the Dog Pool is rotated in under 7 months.
"Given that greyhounds can race until they are 6 and even 7 years of age an average
racing life of under 7 months is impacting"
It is important to note that this is an average and as pointed out above, our reporter stated the 7 months was typical. A small number of successful dogs would race for longer. I have addressed this report earlier and that it was fundamentally flawed and could not be relied upon. The use of these statistics to portray a story as truth would give credence to the old adage of lies, damned lies and statistics. However in your eagerness to portray greyhound racing in the negative light that was your obvious objective, you grabbed onto anything you could and had little regard for the truth, again in total contravention of the provisions of the Broadcasting Act. Footage of abuses/cruelty abroad
This footage was used because the Investigates team clearly showed that Irish greyhounds are being exported via the UK to countries in Asia where these practices take place. The RTE strategy of showing images of dogs, not greyhounds mind you, being boiled alive, being mishandled by dog catchers, being cleaved to death in China, as being relevant to and connected to the Irish Greyhound Industry and its people is a low tactic not befitting of a public broadcaster in receipt of public monies. The numbers of greyhound being exported to China is not an issue, never was and never will be. Reference was made to Greyhounds going to Pakistan and connecting it to Boar Hunting was also an abhorrent tactic to portray the scant regard Irish Greyhound People have for their dogs. While I am aware of some few greyhounds going Pakistan, it would serve RTE well to follow such greyhounds and see how well they are cared for. The greyhounds are bought for substantial sums of monies, by greyhound lovers who maintain and support the breed in Pakistan since the time of the Raj. However RTE did not want to obviously give a balanced view, as it would be contra to their objective of presenting the hatchet job on the Greyhound Industry, Sport and the people involved in same.
In summary, RT notes that the Government announced after the programme that investigations will now follow with a view to securing prosecutions where possible. I note you have not commented on the footage of the Coursing Event in West Cork, where RTE portrayed a legitimate, legal coursing event and the people involved as a criminal activity. The distress this must cause to upstanding and law biding citizens, which were named in the programme, and their familys needs to be addresses in the strongest possible manner. An apology in the very minimum should be issued and those in RTE who, in their eagerness to damage greyhound racing and coursing, have lost all sight of balance and fairness in journalism, should be brought to task and made accountable for their mistakes and the damage caused to innocent persons. I note you have not commented on the presentation of greyhounds with their ears cut off. Do you believe this is a balanced presentation of the how 99.999999% of greyhounds are treated and are traceable. Can you advise of you know of any other dog breed as traceable as the greyhound. You have not responded to the fact that you declined to give the IGB the right to a live unedited interview. You failed to address any of the positive contributions Greyhounds and the industry make to Charities, Fund Raisers, the wider economy and fabric that is Ireland, or to the many very fine and decent people involved. Lots of these people were left very distressed, ashamed and embarrassed by the RTE production, and given no right to reply or a fair presentation of the true values relating to greyhounds and how they are kept in Ireland. For a body that is essentially there to serve the public benefit generally, this programme falls short of these ideals and importantly fall short of the law and the Broadcasting act. While not raised in my earlier email, the contribution of the ISPCA official in the programme, should also be more thoroughly questioned by RTE. No mention of how many dogs other than greyhounds are put down in their facilities every year.It seemed that he was entirely focused on Greyhounds to the detriment of any mention as to how other dog types and breeds and how they were treated in comparison. Finally it has come to my attention that a lady contributor, with an Animal Rights background, to the programme did not give her correct name. If this is correct this is scandalous of RTE. Can you advise as to the veracity of this accusation? RT believes the programme complied fully with all the relevant statutory and regulatory Codes and served the public interest.
If any member of the public is of the opinion that a programme or segment of a programme broadcast on RT has breached a provision of Section 39(1)(a), (b), (d) or (e) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 or failed to comply with a provision of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland Codes and is not satisfied with RTɒs response they are entitled to make a complaint to the BAI. Submissions to the BAI should be made within 14 days of receipt of the reply from RT. Information on codes and on the complaints procedure can be found on the BAI website at EXTERNAL LINK
As stated at the outset, I do not believe you are in a position to speak impartially and independently on behalf of RTE in relation to this matter. I want someone else in RTE to reply back to me as necessary and I will pursue this until I get a satisfactory answer. Yours Sincerely
Paul Maguire
Editor
RT Investigations Unit Tom O Connor
00353(0)86 6064005 Riesk,
Ballincurrig
Leamlara,
Co Cork. ________________________________________
From: Tom O'Connor
Sent: Tuesday 9 July 2019 00:46
To: Complaints
Subject: RTE Investigates Wednesday 26th of June 2019. RT is obliged under Section 39 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to ensure thatthe broadcast treatment of current affairs, including matters which are either of public controversy or the subject of current public debate, is fair to all interests concerned and that the broadcast matter is presented in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of his or her own views, except that should it prove impracticable in relation to a single broadcast to apply this paragraph, two or more related broadcasts may be considered as a whole, if the broadcasts are transmitted within a reasonable period of each other.
(c) anything which may reasonably be regarded as causing harm or offence, or as likely to promote, or incite to, crime or as tending to undermine the authority of the State, is not broadcast
Dear Sirs
While I condemn all acts of animal cruelty and poor practices presented I wish to raise a complaint regarding the RTE TV programme RTE investigates broadcast on Wednesday 26th June RTE1 at 9.35pm.
The nature of the complaint relates to the fact that this programme goes against your own standards and contra to the fact that RT is obliged under Section 39 (1) of the Broadcasting Act 2009 to broadcast the treatment of current affairs, including matters which are either of public controversy or the subject of current public debate in a manner which is fair to all interests concerned and that the broadcast matter is presented in an objective and impartial manner and without any expression of his or her own views .
It was not fair to all interests of those concerned nor was it objective and impartial. I would like if you could address the following matters as examples of the Broadcasts failings.
The independent vet, Mr Heslin quoted information as if he had witnessed EPO thickened blood. If he had, he had a duty to report this of, which there is no record. His independence is questionable as he is the partner of an RTE news anchor who is publicly anti greyhound racing.
Historical footage of dogs with their ears cut off was used for sensationalist purposes as it cannot ever be construed to be a common place practice in Ireland, and is not in anyway reflective of the practices and standards of the vast majority of Greyhound Owners. Currently all dogs are microchipped in line with the law, along with tattoos on their ears. Greyhounds are in fact the most traceable of all dog breeds. This fact was not presented in a manner which was fair to all the interests involved.
The footage of extreme animal Cruelty in China, and linking it to Irish Greyhound Owners, on the basis that a few Irish registered greyhounds were exported to China is again unfair to all the interests involved. No evidence that poor dog was even a greyhound never mind an Irish one was presented. It was presented in the Documentary to alarm and distress the public, and was not objective in its portrayal of the overall good standards which exist in Ireland
Secret filming of the illegal shooting of dogs at the knackeries. Why did Rte not inform the gardai or dept of agriculture immediately? Rte is complicit in standing by and allowing this to happen. Have the persons filmed been reported since? They should be banned for life.
You stated the the greyhound board declined an interview, this was incorrect as the board agreed to a live interview so that the interview could not be edited or misquoted. Again evidence that the broadcast was unfair to the interests of all involved..
There was no reflection on anything positive in racing like the hundreds of thousands of euros being raised for charity.
There is so much one can challenge on the failure of the programme in relation to its fulfilling the Broadcasting Act.
I am disgusted, offended and appalled that you wanted to create such a one sided documentary and have tarred an entire community with the same dirty brush. How the greyhound industry has been singled out by RTE is nothing short of a disgrace.. I look forward to receiving your reply as necessary. Yours sincerely Tom O Connor
00353(0)86 6064005 Riesk,
Ballincurrig
Leamlara,
Co Cork.
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