Taoiseach admits he 'got it wrong' over RTÉ dropping Shane Ross interview

Vivienne Clarke

The Taoiseach has said he "got it wrong" when it came to the issue of Shane Ross not appearing on RTÉ about his biography of Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald.

Micheál Martin told the Dáil on Tuesday in response to a question that Sinn Féin’s litigation against media outlets was having a "chilling effect" on reporting, and said that "apparently" the party had been given "access to the [Shane Ross] interview to listen to it".

RTÉ and Sinn Féin denied the claim.

A political row has blown up over the issue, with Government TDs accusing RTÉ of censoring Mr Ross, an independent minister in the last government whose book about the Sinn Féin leader was launched last week.

RTÉ has said that it made the decision not to broadcast the interview on editorial grounds.